Ever wanted to dine under the sea" Well, the Norwegian architecture studio Snøhetta is about to make your dreams come true. A new restaurant called ?Under? is due to open on Norway?s southern coast, and it’ll allow diners a window into the amazing world below the surface of the water. The famed design studio has just released renderings of and information about this unique dining experience, which will be Europe?s first-ever underwater restaurant. The studio says that ?Under?s namesake holds a double meaning: in Norwegian, ‘under’ can just as well be translated into ‘wonder.’ Like a sunken periscope, the restaurant?s massive acrylic windows offer a view of the seabed as it changes throughout the seasons and varying weather conditions.?
Based on the renderings, it appears that Under will take the form of submerged monolith, a structure which echoes the rocky bluffs of the rugged Norwegian coastline that it will soon be a part of. Its thick concrete shell blends in with the landscape and is also designed to act as a habitat for marine life, such as mussels, to cling to. As molluscs and sea vegetation occupy the hull of the building over time, it will itself become a part of the landscape. This sensitivity to the site in which it will be located is further encouraged by the presence of a research center for marine wildlife, which will also be contained within the building. The research center, coupled with some aquarium-like views, will he...