Sommerro

THE NEIGHBOURHOOD HOTEL REDEFINED
Occupying the former headquarters for Oslo Lysverker - the city's electrical company - Sommerro marks the rebirth of a 1930s landmark in one of Oslo's loveliest neighbourhoods. The latest venture from Nordic Hotels & Resorts, Oslo’s first neighbourhood hotel is a gamechanger. Redefining the hospitality industry, with a strong focus on culture-hungry locals, Sommerro will stand as a community in its own right, an open house and the neighbourhood’s with a hub of restaurants and bars, a library, a small private cinema, and the city’s first rooftop pool, sauna and terrace – a year-round destination with sweeping views over Frogner and the Norwegian capital.

A HISTORY RICH IN ARCHITECTURAL DETAILS
Perched on Solli Plass in Oslo’s elegant Frogner neighbourhood, Sommerro’s original design is the work of prolific Norwegian architects Andreas Bjercke and Georg Eliassen, creators of some of Oslo’s most recognisable buildings such as the neo-baroque headquarters for the former cruise ship company Norwegian America Line.

Owing to a sporadic construction period spanning about 13 years from 1917, the monumental building is a fusion of neoclassical aesthetics, unfussy functionalist features, and a layer of glamorous art deco details. As such, the sobriety of the hand-hammered bare brick façade has been boosted by subtle embellishments like the bas-reliefs, by sculptor Asbjørg Borgfelt, carved into the stone pillars at the entrance, art deco elements – from the lighting to the decorative terrazzo and wrought iron staircase – and rich details by the celebrated Norwegian artist, Per Krohg. These include the expressive mural in the main hall, a ceiling fresco in the former canteen, and the iconic mosaic feature wall in the basement public bath and swimming hall.