Skamarken
Returning the Drammen River to the city

The Drammen River has always defined the city as a transport route, power source, and meeting place. Historically, it featured soft banks with islands and canals that reached into the city and the surrounding landscape, but industrialization straightened the river, and hard edges became the norm. By reintroducing islands and soft transitions, we strengthen biodiversity and provide the city with new areas for recreation and experience—restoring a natural edge where urban life and ecological richness meet.

Team Snøhetta, together with Asplan Viak and Bollinger & Grohmann, proposes a transformation that creates a junction between water and land through the introduction of islands and outdoor spaces, providing the city with new leisure and experience areas. A form of urban development that does not merely urbanise, but unleashes the power in the river, in the history, and in the people living there.

Beneath the green terrain, shaped like a low-lying pavilion nestled into the landscape, lies a conference hall, black box spaces, and a theater. The public venues are connected by a central foyer—Storstuen—a welcoming public area with large windows facing the river, seamlessly tying the entire ensemble to its surroundings.

In combination with the new outdoor spaces along the waterfront—featuring swimming facilities, saunas, water play areas, kayak rentals, fitness zones, an amphitheater, and an open-air stage—the area will make both experiences and nature easily accessible to everyone.

With its central location close to the new station and the new city bridge, Skamarken has a strong foundation to become a central meeting place with regional attractions.

By transforming the existing Statens hus, the building will be repurposed as a conference hotel, with extensive reuse of material. Brick becomes floor material, windows are broken and remade into new windows, and metal plates are given new life as interior walls. Clean masses, brick, and biochar from wood go into circular soil mixes on the roof.

At the end of the volume, a tower rises — a new and considered landmark for Drammen. A tower is the most efficient choice because its foundations and land use are minimized, while the quality of the spaces is maximized. The top floor will be converted into a sky bar, and the long side facades are clad in curved timber, coloured deep red as a nod to the old factory buildings that stood here before. The facade facing north/east mirrors the river, the weather, and the seasons — giving the building a living expression in tune with the surrounding nature.

Skamarken aims to be a hub for innovative solutions that contribute to the green transition. The project also aims to serve as a learning arena — with exhibitions and information that make sustainable practices visible and engaging.

The project wants to enhance Drammen's natural heritage by utilizing valuable species and to contribute to greenhouse gas reduction through locally sourced, circular components. In addition, flood and stormwater will be utilised as a resource via the reuse of rainwater in outdoor areas.

The design explores how surplus heat from the theatre hall and grey-water can be reused for building and water heating, and will employ low-emission materials and the reuse of existing building stock in the development.