Akrobaten

I have taken a shot of this before. However that was during daylight hours and as I was downtown this afternoon in the dark, at 3pm!!! I thought i´d try for a "night" shot.

I didn´t give much background info about the project, so here goes!!

The bridge is 213 meters long, weighing in at 650 tonnes and it cost 215 million kroner to build. It spans the rail lines going into Oslo central train station.

It connects two areas of the city, Grønland, which was always a poor working class area and is now predominantly home to Middle Eastern and South Asian immigrants, and Bjørvika, which is home to the new Opera house and the "Barcode" project, (the buildings you can see in the background) a section of the Fjord City redevelopment on former dock and industrial land in central Oslo. It consists of a row of new multi-purpose high-rise buildings, due to be completed in 2014.

Some are enthusiastic about the fresh architecture, the "champagne apartments," and the unmatched opportunity to reshape the urban landscape and relieve pressure on a rapidly growing city without diminishing existing green space. However, there has been widespread criticism of the heights and designs of the Barcode buildings, both from architects and from citizens of Oslo. The Barcode has been described as a barrier between the fjord and the rest of the city that will destroy Oslo's character as an open, low-rise city with a lot of green space and cast a permanent shadow on adjacent neighborhoods for the benefit of a rich few. The architecture has been described as chaotic, as part of a trend of so-called "message buildings," which within a few years will be seen as having disfigured the city.

The project "is among the most protested . . . ever in Oslo"

Personally I think it adds character to the city. The view that it hides was an ugly industrial area and a motorway. Admittedly this area is also being rejuvenated so the view will undoubtedly improve...at least it would if the Barcode wasn´t blocking it!!! ;-)

This weekend I have traded skiing and fun with friends for cleaning the garage and organising the house and nursing the sickling instead sniff, sniff :-( At least the red wine is flowing and the fire is on. Plus I just had a mini movie night with the sickling, we watched "The Little Prince" which I have never before seen. It was a hit.

Happy Friday and have a great weekend one and all.

Oh, its better BIG!