Pålsbu hydro power station

Location: Tunhovd, Buskerud, Norway

Year: 2007

Status: Built

Client: Statkraft

Photo Credit: Per Berntsen

Award: Nominated for the Mies van der Rohe Award 2009

The generator chamber is situated as a free standing building in front of the 530 meters long dam, emphasizing the sculptural quality of the unbroken man made line through the landscape.

The structure consists of 15 load bearing precast concrete panels stacked around the turbine and generator. The 52 tons equipment is lifted in place by a crane supported by an in situ concrete framework. The protruding structure of the crane is covered in rough spray-on concrete. There are no gutters; stainless steel profiles are welded to the concrete panels to prevent water from entering the precast holes that serve as screens in front of windows and ventilation openings. The roof is made of prefabricated steel trusses.