World's largest underwater restaurant nears completion

  • 13 Oct - 19 Oct, 2018
  • Mag The Weekly
  • Mag Files

Five meters below the surface of the North Sea, near the southernmost tip of Norway, Europe's first underwater restaurant is nearing completion. The 110-foot long structure, an oblique concrete slab that looks like a sunken periscope, was submerged in July 2018 and construction is now underway to complete the interiors, in anticipation of the public opening in spring 2019.

The restaurant, called Under, is the design of Norwegian outfit Snøhetta, which has made a name for itself with projects such as the Oslo Opera House and the renovation of Times Square in New York.

When finished, the structure will accommodate about 100 guests with a total internal area of about 5,300 sq. ft set over three levels, offering unique underwater views of the surrounding marine environment through a 36 feet wide panoramic window.

More than half of the structure is submerged, and guests will gain access through a glass walkway that will bridge the gap between the coast and the entrance, which will be at shore level.

The tasting menu, created by Danish head chef Nicolai Ellitsgaard Pedersen, is still under wraps but will rely heavily on local seafood, although mushrooms, berries, various seabirds and wild sheep from the surrounding landscape will also be on offer.

From the main window in the dining area, which is 4 meters (13 feet) tall, guests will be able to observe a variety of fish and sea creatures including seals and lobsters. Crucial to this view is the lighting, which has been carefully designed for both the interior and the sandbank just outside.

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