Skakkeringen Pavilion and Landscape, Etne, Norwegian sports and leisure facility, Norway building images

Skakkeringen Pavilion and Landscape in Etne, Norway

15 January 2025

Design: LOCAL and PIR2

Location: Etne, Vestland County, Norway

Skakkeringen Pavilion and Landscape west Norway

Images by Artishot/Arkitekturfoto i Bergen

Bergen ByArena and Development Plan

Skakkeringen is part of Vestland County’s pilot program to create innovative activity facilities that transforms the role of public school in rural municipalities.

Skakkeringen Pavilion and Landscape Etne Norway

LOCAL and PIR2 won the project to develop and build a 2000sqm activity park adjacent to the Skakke Cultural Center in Etne, Norway. The project is part of an innovative concept of open schoolyards that are “accessible by the general public without fences and open at all times, without schedule, to be used day and night”.

Skakkeringen Pavilion and Landscape Etne Norway

A Place for Everyone
Skakkeringen transforms the outdoor space around Skakke Cultural Center into a dynamic public square for Etne’s residents. Once a fenced 2000m² asphalted area with little to offer, it is now designed to bring people together. At the centre of the project is a flexible space for ball games, concerts, outdoor cinema, and community events like the Etne Cup.

Skakkeringen Pavilion and Landscape west Norway

Surrounding it are green spaces, gardens, and quiet zones which invite relaxation and informal gatherings. The stage roof adds year-round opportunities for cultural activities, making Skakkeringen a vibrant space for both play and connection. It is all woven together by an unbroken pathway – the ring – which allows users to move alongside each activity and unifies the whole project.

Skakkeringen Pavilion and Landscape west Norway

Shaped by Local Voices
At the heart of Skakkeringen is community involvement. Through interviews, workshops and surveys, young people shared their ideas for a space where they could feel welcome and take ownership. They envisioned places for climbing, ball games, hanging out, and relaxing in nature. Their input directly shaped the design, creating a square that meets their needs while also welcoming seniors and families.

Skakkeringen Pavilion and Landscape west Norway

This multi-generational approach brings together people of all ages, fostering a stronger sense of belonging and pride in their community. It represents a positive negotiation of ownership that allows the local sport club, the school, the retirement home and the farmers’ association to co-organise and utilise the space with the support of the cultural centre next door.

Skakkeringen Pavilion and Landscape west Norway

Active, Inclusive, and Sustainable
Skakkeringen is built for activity and connection while keeping sustainability in focus. The project serves as an act of rewilding and renaturing, transforming an asphalted area and challenging the prevailing trend of overly asphalted schoolyards today.

Skakkeringen Pavilion and Landscape Etne west Norway

Using recycled aluminium from the local HYDRO plant, 100% CLT timber construction, and green roofs, the design prioritizes environmentally friendly materials and practices. Designing an informal ring and shaping such multi-purpose pavilion introduces new spatial forms that embody ideas of social innovation and community connection.

Skakkeringen Pavilion and Landscape Etne Norway Skakkeringen Pavilion and Landscape Etne west Norway

The place encourages movement, play, and interaction while supporting cultural and civic life year-round. More than just a schoolyard, it has become a center piece of Etne’s community, creating opportunities for everyone to gather, share, and grow together.

Skakkeringen Pavilion and Landscape Etne west Norway

Skakkeringen is more than a transformation—it’s a statement about how school shared spaces can strengthen rural communities and create new opportunities for meaningful connection.

Skakkeringen Pavilion and Landscape Etne west Norway

Skakkeringen Pavilion and Landscape in Vestland County, Norway – Building Information

Landscape Architecture: LOCAL and PIR2

Skakkeringen Pavilion and Landscape Etne Norway Skakkeringen Pavilion and Landscape west Norway

Team: LOCAL, PIR2 – Team member: Christine Gjermo, Silje Lockert, Kjartan Neckelmann, Elida Mosquera, Jerome Picard, Ellen Reitan, Miriam Sharp Pierson
Client: Vestland County Council & Etne Municipality
Builder: Vaglid AS (Main builder) with Procon (Structure), Helgevold (Electro), BDL (Sust.), Splitkon (CLT Wood), Betong park (Skatepark),
Photographer: Artishot/Arkitekturfoto i Bergen
Year: 2022-2024
Program: 2000sqm Landscape, Playground, Outdoor pavilion
Rendering: Onirism, LOCAL

Skakkeringen Pavilion and Landscape Etne Norway

Photography: Artishot/Arkitekturfoto i Bergen

Skakkeringen Pavilion and Landscape, Etne, Norway images / information received 150125

C.F. Møller Architects, Denmark

Location: Nygårdstangen development plan, Bergen, Norway, northern Europe

Norwegian Architecture

Contemporary Norwegian Buildings

Norwegian Building Designs – chronological list

Architecture Tours in Oslo by e-architect

Norwegian Architecture

Norwegian Architect Office

Bergen Architecture

Contemporary Building Designs in Bergen

Villa Sval in Bergen
Design: Henning Kongshavn Fronsdal
New wooden villa in Bergen
photo : © Per Erik Jaeger

Villa S in Bergen
Design: Saunders Architecture
Villa S in Bergen
photo : Bent René Synnevåg

Social Housing in Bergen
Design: Rabatanalab
Social Housing in Bergen
image from architect
Social Housing in Bergen

Future Vision for Bergen Harbour
Design: Nordic – Office of Architecture
Future Vision for Bergen Harbour
image from architect
Future Vision for Bergen Harbour

Main Firestation Bergen
Design: Stein Halvorsen AS Sivilarkitekter MNAL
Firestation Bergen

Another Norwegian building design by C.F. Møller on e-architect:

Villa Aa, Oslo Fjord, Norway
Villa Aa Oslo Fjord Norway
photo : Ivar Kvaal
Villa Aa, Oslo Fjord

Another European building design by C.F. Møller on e-architect:

University Hospital RWTH Aachen Extension
Design: HENN + C.F. Møller Architects
University Hospital RWTH Aachen Extension
images from architects
University Hospital RWTH Aachen Building

C.F. Møller Architects

Architecture in Norway

New Architecture in Norway – architectural selection below:

Toneheim Folkehøgskole, Hamar
Architects: ASAS arkitektur
Toneheim Folkehoegskole Hamar Norway
photos by Fredrik Myhre, Ola Spangen, Niklas Hart – ASAS arkitektur
Toneheim Folkehøgskole

Holmen Industrial Area, Vesterålen, Nordland county, Northern Norway
Architects: Snøhetta
Holmen Industrial Area in Vesteralen Norway
photograph © Stephen Citrone
Holmen Industrial Area in North Norway

Hadar’s House in Stokkøya, Trøndelag County
Design: Frida Öster, Asante Architecture & Design
Hadar's House in Stokkøya, Åfjord, Trøndelag County
photograph : Marius Rua
Stokkøya House

Norway Buildings

Oslo Buildings

Comments / photos for the Skakkeringen Pavilion and Landscape, Etne, Norway design by LOCAL and PIR2 page welcome.