Munch bench

Our main hypothesis was that just because you are in a museum you should not have to be uncomfortable. The Munch museum is organised vertically so as a visitor you can take breaks between the different parts of the museum. Our benches would then function as a resting place in between the art experiences. The Munch bench began as an international competition. Management at the museum did not want the benches to be part of the interior tender. IO applied for this prestigious opportunity with friend and colleague Andreas Engesvik. The competition was based on portfolio and motivation, no sketch proposals. In the final interview round with Juan Herreros, the architect, and the museum's top management, we were asked what distinguished Munch museum, from one of Turner, Goia, or any other defining figure. We uttered something about the freedom and wildness, and the lightness of Munch´s work. Together with our portfolios, we must have done something right, because we won, beating a roster of top international designers and architects. It was designed together with Andreas Engesvik for the opening of the new museum for the Norwegian modernist master.