The story of the grain silo in Kristiansand, Norway, begins in 1935, when it was built with 15 cylindrical cells and a six-story storage building. At the time, the silo was the first functionalist building in Kristiansand and was considered a symbol of modernity. In 2008, it was closed as a grain silo. But the city council decided that it should be preserved.
The next decisive step was taken in 2015, when the Norwegian hedge fund manager and art collector Nicolai Tangen donated his unique collection of modernist art to the AKO Kunststiftelse and the Kristiansand Art Museum, accompanied by the wish that the art be exhibited in the silo - both dating from the same period. The future design was decided in an open architectural competition in which 101 architectural firms from a total of 17 countries took part. The architectural firms Mestres Wåge Arquitectes, BAX and Mendoza Partida won the competition in 2017. Construction work began in September 2019.

Special requirements of silo renovation
How can a grain silo be transformed into a museum? Not an easy task. The requirements were high: "This is a unique redevelopment project in which old silo pipes are converted into an art silo. We wanted a light insulation material that would retain the same polished facade expression of the original grain silo," explained Pål Le Page, project manager at Kruse Smith, who were commissioned with the renovation.
The contractors chose Multipor: "We wanted a lightweight insulation material that would retain the same plastered facade appearance of the original grain silo. The Multipor insulation system was the best choice for this. Multipor is a lightweight product that is easy and efficient to handle on the construction site. In addition, we were well supported by Xella during the planning phase to adapt the insulation work in all details to the facade," says Pål Le Page, explaining the decision. A total of around 3,400 square metres of Multipor was installed.

Curved shapes as a challenge
The curved shapes of the silos place very special demands on the flexibility of the insulation material. "Insulating the silos with curved shapes requires a material that can be easily adjusted. Multipor has proven to be a very good solution here because the wall elements can be easily adapted to the substrate. With Multipor, you also need fewer operations, requiring only masonry and three layers of plaster." This contributes to cost efficiency, says Steffen Fardal from FS Mur, who is the project manager responsible for the masonry work.

Insulation boards from Multipor are cost-efficient and sustainable
To create a large exhibition area, the inside of 30 silo pipes were ripped out. But the large hall has its pitfalls: it must be heated to a comfortable temperature and be well insulated for maximum energy efficiency.
Multipor offers a good solution here too: in addition to the energy properties of the insulation boards, the material is open to diffusion and therefore regulates moisture. Condensation is absorbed in the air pores of the insulation boards and dries out naturally. The material is therefore perfect for buildings where there are large temperature differences between the exterior and interior. The heat-insulating solution leads to more efficient energy consumption of the whole building and saves operators a lot of money.

Fire resistant material
Multipor insulation boards - made from the regionally sourced mineral raw materials lime, sand, cement, and water - are a non-combustible material that does not emit toxic gases or smoke even at very high temperatures. Due to the valuable art housed in the building, a high level of fire protection is very important. The museum houses the impressive Tangen Collection, Sørland Collection, and the Christianssand Picture Gallery.

Fotocredit: Backe