News
We are happy to share the good news that Bergen municipality has officially bought USF Verftet’s neighboring plot, Kjødehallene (or “meat halls”). Once set to become the site of individual luxury apartments, with the consequence of further privatizing the shore line of Nordnes, Kjødehallene is now confirmed as a future cultural area and building. This is the result of years-long fights against developers, fights in which 3RW played an active role; our investigations for a culture-oriented vision for Kjødehallene began as soon as 2013, with the Music Theatre design, and include a proposal for a multi-use concert hall (2016) and a study which installs a food market and music venue in the existing hangar (2018).
Municipal actors have ensured that the development process going forward will define the project as pilot for the environmentally-friendly and functional upgrading of old buildings in the city, and will work towards preserving the maritime, industrial feel of the area. A striking 17,000 m2 is going to be added to USF Verftet’s existing 12,000 m2, making Kulturkvartalet Verftet one of the most vibrant cultural hubs of Norway’s second-largest city.
The belief that Bergen’s beautiful water edge should remain public has defined 3RW’s architectural work in Nordnes and, more genreally, in Bergen. We wrote enthusiastically about the municipality’s decision from the municipality 3 years ago – you can view the news clip here, with references to the city’s “Cultural Heritage Plan” – and rejoice that Kjødehallene will remain part of the commons.
Take a look at two other projects from the office at USF Verftet: USF Kolonien and the upgrade of the old building’s gallery space and outdoors.


Directly above: an illustration from our 2018 study shows one possible fun use of the “Kjødehallene” halls.