Glasir, the largest educational institution in the Faroe Islands, joined hundreds of students in celebrating the first day of school in mid-August. World-renowned architect, Bjarke Ingels, has designed the 19,500 square metre building, which houses 250 staff and more than 1,500 students in 6th form, vocational and higher education within a variety of fields.
CEO of Glasir, Bogi Bech, is thrilled to start working in the new building that has taken six years to complete.
“This building gives us all the conditions we need to succeed,” says Bogi. “It is now our responsibility to get as much as possible from this fantastic environment. We are certain that our new surroundings will have a great impact on how teachers will teach and how students will learn.”
The building’s designer, Bjarke Ingels, is a Danish architect, founder and creative partner of Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG). Named one of the 100 Most Influential People by Time Magazine in 2016, Bjarke is widely known for designing buildings that defy convention while incorporating sustainable development principles and bold sociological concepts. His most noted projects include the 8 House housing complex, VIA 57 West in Manhattan and the Google North Bayshore headquarters. BIG are currently designing the new Two World Trade Center building in New York City.
“We were inspired by the dramatic landscape of Tórshavn,” says Bjarke. “We liked the idea of transferring that landscape into the building’s interior design.”
The word ‘Glasir’ can be translated as radiance, beam, spark or gloss. Glasir is also a one of the most beautiful trees in Norse mythology, located outside Valhalla, where gods, kings, heroes and others who have died in battle, live.
Glasir, Tórshavn College, cost 636.5 million DKK to build, which equates to approximately 32,000 DKK per square metre.
This article was originally published on Faroeislands.fo
Words: Levi Hanssen
Imagee credits: Kringvarp Føroya
