Aker Brygge
Client:
Norwegian Property
My Role:
Creative Direction
Type:
Experience
Agency:
Expology
Along with the refurbishment of Aker Brygge, Expology was hired to add a few historical gems to highlight the history of the area. The area used to contain shipyards and engineering industry and several of the major workshop halls were rebuilt as shopping areas.
01
Nicknames
Back in the day it was common for workers to get 'christined' by your coworkers with nicknames - often replacing their birthgiven names in day-to-day conversations. The stories behind their nick are often the most interesting and funniest part - revealing their personality - or how others viewed them. One of "Brudgommen" or 'The Groom' - went and got married in the lunch break.
A selection of the nicknames - combined with an silhouette of a part of machinery is embedded around the area of Aker Brygge. The artworks are laser cut from different metals. The negative shape is carved into the paving stone and the metal attached to it.
02
Historical gems
We replaced bricks with screens on
03
Three Minutes
This clock was originally placed at the top of 'Verkstedhallen' - the workers entrance. It was an important part of the daily life at Aker Mechanical Workshop. The whistle signal from the clock warns of the working day start, end and lunch break.
A tunnel connected the workplace area to the cantina and wardrobes. From the start of the whistle signal, the workers had three minutes to punch the time clock. If they arrived one minute over the alloted three minutes, the workers where deducted fifteen minutes of salary.
We refurbished the old clock with new lighting and door. We also etched a mural onto the exterior copper sheets of the clock ...a long artwork illustrated on a large canvas and then applied to the metal.
Illustration by ©Bendik Kaltenborn