![DNB House / Dark Arkitekter - Exterior Photography, Windows, Brick, Facade](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/56aa/c998/e58e/cee7/e100/0327/newsletter/portada_05_DNB_WEST_BUILDING_by_Olaf_Kon.jpg?1454033287)
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Architects: Dark Arkitekter
- Area: 11700 m²
- Year: 2012
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Photographs:Olaf Kon, Jiri Havran, Christian Roth Christensen
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Manufacturers: Bergknapp
![DNB House / Dark Arkitekter - Image 13 of 23](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/56aa/c982/e58e/cefa/d300/0305/medium_jpg/11_DNB_WEST_BUILDING_photo_by_Olaf_Kon.jpg?1454033258)
Text description provided by the architects. Barcode is part of the mixed-use development of Bjørvika, a former harbor area and highway intersection that expands Oslo city center. Dark teamed with MVRDV and A-Lab and won the international design competition for the development.
![DNB House / Dark Arkitekter - Exterior Photography, Facade](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/56aa/c930/e58e/cefa/d300/0303/newsletter/04_DNB_WEST_BUILDING_Picture_by_Olaf_Kon.jpg?1454033182)
The winning entry proposed as a string of narrow, yet heterogeneous building shapes inspired in the design of a barcode. DNB’s three-building headquarters is part of the Barcode development, and each member of the Barcode team designed a different part of the trio.
![DNB House / Dark Arkitekter - Image 18 of 23](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/56aa/ca6c/e58e/cee7/e100/032a/newsletter/DNB_HOUSE_WEST_BUILDING_SECTION.jpg?1454033504)
Dark was responsible for the glass-and granite“West-Building”, which accommodates 600 occupants. An underground concourse containing meeting rooms, canteen, and other common functions runs continuously under all three DNB buildings.
![DNB House / Dark Arkitekter - Image 3 of 23](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/56aa/c9cb/e58e/cee7/e100/0328/newsletter/10_DNB_WEST_BUILDING_photo_by_Jiri_Havran.jpg?1454033335)
The 15-story office building resembles a giant stair, in which each tread is a large roof terrace and each riser is a two-story-tall glazed common room. The extensively planted rooftops retain water while also providing employees with contemplative break spaces that look towards the east and south.
![DNB House / Dark Arkitekter - Interior Photography, Stairs, Chair, Windows](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/56aa/c9fa/e58e/cee7/e100/0329/newsletter/13_DNB_WEST_BUILDING_photo_by_Jiri_Havran.jpg?1454033387)
A publicly accessible inclined elevator that terminates in a penthouse restaurant outlines the stair-shaped volume. Alongside this elevator, an internal stairwell connects the several floors where DNB offices’ are located.
![DNB House / Dark Arkitekter - Exterior Photography, Windows](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/56aa/c903/e58e/cee7/e100/0325/newsletter/06_DNB_WEST_BUILDING_photo_by_Jiri_Havran.jpg?1454033138)
Shops, food vendors, and other commercial services populate the street level, which also features an open passage punching through all the buildings in Barcode complex.
![DNB House / Dark Arkitekter - Image 2 of 23](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/56aa/c8ef/e58e/cefa/d300/0301/newsletter/02_DNB_WEST_BUILDING_by_Jiri_Havran.jpg?1454033118)