How to maintain the patrimonial value of the grain elevator from 1935, and at the same time develop it into a contemporary Museum of Art?
Kunstsilo is a rehabilitation and transformation of the grain elevator on Odderøya in Kristiansand into an art museum. The original silo was designed by Korsmo and Aarsland Architects – leading figures in the functionalist movement in Norway. Today, Kunstsilo, together with the Kilden Performing Arts Centre and Knuden Cultural School, is part of the new cultural quarter of Kristiansand, with strong local, regional, and international ambitions.
From the Jury report in the competition: “The Kunstsilo proposal harnesses all the expressive power of a silo (an existing heritage building) in order to generate a diverse and complex urban space with a variety of spatial, programmatic and climatic characteristics. The proposal consists of a new museum, a performing arts school, a hotel and a building to be used as an incubator for artistic start-ups. The project strikes an elegant balance by combining respect for the qualities of the silo building with an imaginative attitude to the inherently sculptural and special experiences it offers. With a few cuts into the interior of the silo, an understated yet monumental volume is opened up with controlled top-lighting that gives the future museum a strong and unique character.” (Translation- the architects)
1st Prize: Building of the Year, Norway, 2025
1st Prize: Spanish Architecture Award, 2025
1st Prize: Concrete Award, Norway, 2025
1st Prize: ADF Design Award 2025
Nominated: Mies van der Rohe Award 2026
Nominated: World’s Most Beautiful Museums, by the Prix Versailles.
Notable Mention: TIME’s list of the World’s Greatest Places of 2024.
Notable Mention: The New York Times’ list of 52 places to visit in 2025