Navet sits as an extension of the existing mountain and forms a transition between the harbour and forest-scape. This corner becomes the museum’s main entrance; welcoming guests from all parts of the island. The harbour floor rises to form a sloping deck towards the main entrance. This provides universal access also for visitors arriving from the above parking.
Internally, the node concept is also found in the central boat hall. This room encompasses the vertical circulation. By combining the exhibition and circulation strategy the visitors get to see the exhibits from all angles, enhancing the museum experience. The museum logistics is solved by locating the flexible exhibition spaces on the same level as back-of-house operations such as exhibition and conservation workshops and service entry. These black box rooms are more neutral in their expression and form in order to provide more flexibility, in juxtaposition to the markedly different boat hall space with its expressive timber structure and exposed mountain wall.
The structural concept – the diagonal timber beams in the boat hall and facade – refers to traditional boat building. During the walk through the museum, visitors are invited out onto a walkway in the structure of the facade. Here they can have a moment and look out onto the harbour and to Kvadraturen in Kristiansand. Different activities are incorporated into the roofscape as a means of communicating the area’s history with its strong fortress-like surrounding wall. From this roofscape visitors have vistas in many directions; towards Lasaretthøyden, the Salamander forest and Kvadraturen in Kristiansand.