“Røkketårnet” could be moved to Bergen

Bærum municipal government said no to Kjell Inge Røkke’s planned skyscraper at Fornebu. Now, several participants want to move the 64-storey building to Bergen.

On Monday, Kjell Inge Røkke’s skyscraper plans for Fornebu were buried when the municipal council in Bærum voted against the building of a 225-meter-tall building called “Det store blå”, which was supposed to accommodate Verdenshavenes head office.

According to Bergens Tidende newspaper, several players are now working to move the tall building from Fornebu to Bergen.

On Tuesday, City Councilor Harald Schjeldrup of Arbeiderpartiet (AP), University Rector, Dag Rune Olsen and other representatives of Bergen will meet Nina Jensen, who fronts the Verdenshavets headquarters, to discuss the possibilities.

“The height or plot is not the most important issue, but the concept itself belongs in Bergen. Norway already has a Capital for marine and maritime industries, and it is neither Bærum nor Oslo, but Bergen. We have long wondered that Røkke chose Fornebu in Bærum,” he told the newspaper.

Bergen sceptical to Røkke Tower

Neither the mayor, the city architect nor the head of the Planning and Building Department in Bergen are jumping with joy over a possible Røkke skyscraper in the city. «The Big Blue» is, therefore, quite literarily in the blue.

The «Capital of Western Norway» has strict rules for high-rise buildings in the city centre, with a maximum limit of 27 metres in height. Although that limit stands for fall, several persons do not automatically welcome a «Røkke tower» of 200 metres, writes Bergens Tidende.

“We do not need this type of extreme high-rise building in Bergen. It is not necessary at Fornebu, not in Oslo and definitively not in Bergen,” City Architect, Maria Molden, comments.

She would like to welcome Kjell Inge Røkke’s ocean centre in another form though:

“We do not buy premade buildings of 200 metres height for this city. We, however, very, very much wish to enter into a dialogue …”

City Councillor Harald Schjelderup (Labour) takes the same stance: “Yes to a marine centre – no to a skyscraper.”

“I can’t see that as being relevant. The city centre is a medieval town. I believe it’s a sidetrack to start by discussing the actual tower. We start with a meeting and listen to what they wish for,” he chimes in.

The Director of the Planning and Building Department in Bergen, Mette Svanes, is sceptical of the height too.

“It will obliterate all the scales we have in Bergen. I’m not going to say that it is impossible, but personally, I think it’s too tall,” she states.