Nordic House in the Faroe Islands, Cultural center and theatre in Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
The Nordic House is a two-storey cultural centre in Tórshavn with a 2,000 m² turf roof and glass and anodised aluminium facades. Inside, a large lobby with Norwegian slate and Swedish pine floors leads to an 800 m² hall with a high cast-concrete bearing wall, movable west wall and Danish ash ceiling. A café and a recessed amphitheatre open off the lobby.
The building was designed by architects Ola Steen and Kolbrún Ragnarsdóttir following an international competition that drew more than a hundred entries. It opened in 1983 and quickly became an important cultural meeting point for the Faroe Islands.
The building takes its name from the Nordic region it represents, serving as a gathering place for those interested in northern European culture. Inside, visitors encounter exhibitions, film screenings, and concerts that showcase artistic expressions from across the Nordic world.
The building stands on a slope above Tórshavn, with a glass front looking over the city, the sea and the island of Nólsoy. The 800 m2 hall opens to the amphitheatre and lobby through movable elements in its west end wall, so the public areas can be combined or divided. The turf roof and glass facade are best seen from outside before entering.
The Nordic House was one of the "seven Faroese wonders" chosen by viewers of Sjónvarp Føroya in a nationwide poll held for Ólavsøka in 2007, alongside Tinganes, the Magnus Cathedral and the Norðoyatunnilin tunnel. The turf for its roof came from Iceland, while the grass itself was Faroese.
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