Billed as the world’s largest underwater restaurant – and the first in Europe – Under is a new, must-visit dining facility nearing completion on Norway’s southern coast. The 600m2 structure – scheduled to open next year – will accommodate 100 diners.

The restaurant’s name is also a play on words: in Norwegian, ‘under’ can also be translated into ‘wonder.’ And the view promises to be wondrous.
Half-submerged, the building’s monolithic form breaks the water surface to lie against the craggy shoreline. A massive 11m x 4m panoramic acrylic window offers a view of the seabed as it changes throughout the seasons and varying weather conditions.

Diners will see all sorts of fish species swimming by, including huge cod, colourful lip fish, lobsters, seals, spiny dogfish and distinctive seaweed and kelp in the changing seasons.

More than a restaurant and aquarium, Under will also become a part of its marine environment and will function as a research centre for marine life. The building’s sleek, streamlined form is encapsulated in a concrete shell with a coarse surface that invites mussels to cling on.

Over time, as the mollusk community densifies, the submerged monolith will become an artificial mussel reef that functions dually to rinse the sea and naturally attract more marine life to its purified waters.

With metre-thick concrete walls, the structure’s built to withstand pressure and shock from the rugged sea conditions. It was designed by Snøhetta – an international, award-winning architectural company.