Norway Floats ‘Salmon Eye’ Structure On Lake To Teach Public About The Fish

Norway is honoring one of its greatest exports, the salmon, with a floating event hall shaped like the eye of the very same fish.

The Salmon Eye, as it is named, was designed by Danish studio Kvorning Design and sits on top of a lake in Hardangerfjord in western Norway. The odd inspiration for the building came from its sponsor, Eide Fjordburk, a salmon farm operation that wanted a space where people could come together to learn, teach, and discuss the harmful effects of current salmon farming methods.

Salmon Eye is a 50-foot tall structure that rests on a floating platform weighing 1,256 tons and can withstand waves of up to 13 feet high.

Coating the building are silver shiny scales, like those of the salmon, which reflect light from the sun and invoke the image of salmon swimming.

The inside of the giant eye spreads over 10,000 feet of floor space and spans a total of four levels. The first level holds a private cinema, while the upper floors are all connected by a long and winding ramp that spirals in the middle of the eye. These floors will be used to hold exhibitions and learning centers on farming.

As one continues up towards the top of the eye, they will be met with a rooftop garden in the center, presumably representing the iris. From there, you can stand and look out to the fjord and the mountains that make up the beautiful landscape surrounding the eye.

The Salmon Eye is placed right in the middle of the lake and does not have a bridge connecting it to the land. Don’t worry, you won’t be made to swim upstream; you can just hop on a ferry that will take you directly to it.

Ultimately, the journey into the eye of the salmon is meant to, incidentally, open visitors’ eyes to the harm harvesting food from oceans and lakes do to our environment.

[via New Atlas and Global Design News, cover image via Kvorning Design]