The entire construction is built in stainless steel and designed by Code Arkitektur as part of the Norwegian Scenic Routes attraction – a significant cultural project that unites architects, artists, designers, and craftsmen with a common goal of creating destinations across the country through architecture. Along the routes architectural structures integrate and contrast with nature, challenges the mind of the observers and attracts visitors to remote destinations of Norway – subsequently boosting the local economy.

The roof and wall surfaces at Espenes rest stop are shaped by hand and welded together from 6mm thick steel plates. As lighting designers, we aimed to enhance this magnificent sculptural shape through light, darkness, and contrast in the colour temperature.

The steel walls are kept free of equipment and all technical installations are cast into the concrete deck. The intensity of the light on the steel wall had to be experienced visually. Therefore, tests were crucial to ensure good detailing and to see the actual effects of light.

The architectural elements are illuminated by a subtle cool light, while the toilets and areas used by visitors are given a warm light. The lighting of the ceiling surface is asymmetrically designed to give two different visual impressions depending on the direction you look while the reflections in the steel create a playful expression in the light. The cool light of the outer walls is designed to contrast with the warm interior and enhance the construction’s visual expression.

The columns in cool light frame the view towards the toilet in warm light. The luminaires are discreetly molded into the deck and integrated into the doorframes. To achieve functional lighting in the toilets, each toilet room is equipped with a special bollard in steel and acrylic which acts as a floor lamp and provides a soft light in the room. They are produced by the metal workshop Størksen in collaboration with Stoane Lighting.

The light from the bollard balances with the light in the doorframe, which is made of steel and hardened glass. Both luminaires respond to an integrated sensor in the lock and the light intensity increase when the toilet is in use.

The light levels are generally dimmed to limit the impact on the surroundings, but also to minimize glare so that the view from the rest stop is preserved. The remaining architectural lighting is balanced against the dimly lit roof to help limit the impact of lighting on the local ecology.

The road that leads to the rest stop is not illuminated and the lighting of the rest stop is limited to the construction, while darkness is maintained in the car park and the access road. Merely 40W is used to illuminate the 50-meter-long ceiling surface while the other lighting is dimmed to harmonize with the luminance of the ceiling.

The lighting is controlled by sunrise and sunset times as well as sensors in the lock box on the toilet doors. This limits energy consumption and unnecessary lighting when the rest stop is not in active use and lets the fjord and mountains set the stage.