Exhibit features roadside rest area designs

WASHINGTON, D.C.—A new exhibit at the National Building Museum—Detour: Architecture and Design along 18 National Tourist Routes in Norway—highlights roadside rest areas in Norway that have become landmark destinations. As part of the Norwegian Public Roads Administration’s Tourist Routes project, architects and designers from all over the world have used shocking colors, graceful forms, and unusual materials to transform these roadside stops.

On view from Jan. 28 through May 25, 2009, Detour features designs meant to harmonize with their surroundings and allow visitors to see the splendor of the natural landscape. The exhibit includes large models of the projects with descriptive text and images.

"What fascinates me about Detour," said His Excellency Wegger Chr. Strommen, ambassador of Norway to the United States, "is that you literally peek into architecture interacting with nature, and at the same time realize that it serves the needs of travelers along Norway’s spectacular tourist routes. In collaboration with the National Building Museum, I am delighted to bring this exhibition to the United States."

As a complement to Detour, the National Building Museum will present related programming, including a film series called Detour: The Landscape of Travel on Film. The Detour film series explores the points of contact between individuals and their environment. On March 30, 2009, Norwegian architects Tommie Wilhelmsen and Henning Kaland will join Brad Cownover, ASLA, director of conservation services for Scenic America, in a moderated panel discussing scenic byways in the United States and Norway. For details and additional information, visit www.nbm.org.