A Swedish architecture firm that came up with a plan to roll buildings through a city on rails has won third prize in a competition to develop the Norwegian city of Åndalsnes.

The company, Jagnafalt Milton, suggested that existing and new railroads could be built to provide the base for buildings that could be positioned differently depending on the seasons and on the weather. It proposed designs for rail-mounted single- and double-berth cabins, along with a two-storey suite. It also imagined lookout towers, kitchens, lifeguard stations, changing rooms, and -- in true Swedish spirit -- a sauna.

The idea, says the agency, was to use the city's railway infrastructure -- left behind from the days when it was an maritime construction town, building oil rigs -- as a basis for its future.


Konrad Milton, one of the partners in the company, told Wired.co.uk: "As we see it there are two major benefits.

First, it's easier to put buildings on existing train tracks than to demolish the tracks and build regular building foundations.

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Secondly the city of Åndalsnes has different needs depending on season."

He continued: "Summertime the city is full of tourists from cruise ships and hikers -- during this time there is a need for hotels and shopping. Wintertime the climate is harsh and there is less activity but a need for climate shelters and public indoor activities. By changing the building line-up according to seasons and events the city can become truly flexible."

The jury agreed, saying that they were "impressed and charmed by the proposal's aesthetic and visual qualities". They added: "The light-surreal mood of the visualisation with a magic and Tarkovsky-esque atmosphere contrasts well with the sober and technical qualities of the plans and axonometric drawings. All in all it is a proposal that is consistent in its study of a single element's potential to develop the city of Åndalsnes into a dense, integrated and ever changing scenography of rolling, cubic volume."


Why rail and not roads? Milton says: "In this case the railtracks are in such abundance that it's the obvious choice, but the idea with rolling buildings could work very well in situations where roads and other hard surfaces are in abundance -- like old military airfields, harbors or over sized highways."

Jagnafalt Milton has previously won awards for the design of a culture centre in Galway in Ireland, and for the design of a Sami parliament building in Finland.

Duncan Geere is a senior staff writer at Wired.co.uk.

He can be found on Twitter at @DuncanGeere. Follow Wired at @WiredUK.