3XN: Plassen Cultural Centre

Designed by Danish studio 3XN, the new Plassen Cultural Centre has recently open its doors in the small Norwegian city of Molde. At just 25,000 inhabitants, the city draws 100,000 jazz enthusiasts every month of July, when the world renowned Molde Jazz Festival takes place. This was the main challenge for the architects, who sought to create a building that was flexible and robust enough to provide a framework for cultural life.

Located in the city center and overlooking both the fjord and the mountains, the Plassen cultural center works as an evident meeting point. 3XN sought an optimal use of every square metre, creating a building that can function both when a hundred and 100,000 people gather for concerts, festivals or theater.

The structure is flexible and multifunctional. The building's roof and an existing staircase next to the centre constitute a total of three outdoor amphitheatres, that collectively accommodate several thousand spectators. During the day the roof offers a café with outdoor seating, a recreational area with views of the surroundings and an exhibition space for the building's gallery; on the other hand, the staircase on the side of the building is an essential link between the city's upper and lower districts.

"Plassen is a compact and chaste construction, but by giving the shape a number of breaches, we have created a relevant diversity, which means that it is flexible and roomy, without seeming very big" states 3XN's Jan Ammundsen, who has emphasized that the nearly 6000 m2 building, with its three floors, should adapt to the relatively small scale of the context.

The same white, bright granite is used on all exterior surfaces. In the evening a warm red light comes from the interior concert hall, around which other features — a library, café, exhibition space and performance areas — are distributed. The warm color scheme of the interior combined with the solid hardwood floors and plenty of natural light result in an informal environment, which alongside the building's many entrances create an inviting, accessible space.

3XN: Plassen Cultural Centre
Architect: 3XN
Functions: theatre, concert hall, library, café, exhibition space and performance areas
Client: Molde Kulturbyg AB
Construction Period: 2009 — 2012
Inauguration: July 2012
Area: 5800 square metres
Price: 187 million NKr
Contractor: Rosand Brødrende AS
Engineer: Norconsult AS
Interior Designer: 3XN
Landscape: Molde Municipality