One of our favourite architecture firms on the planet, Snøhetta, has just unveiled incredible concept plans for a restaurant set to open in Norway called ‘Under’. Located at the southernmost tip of the Norwegian coastline, Under is designed as a concrete monolith and when completed will be Europe’s first ever underwater restaurant.

Set to be built at the southernmost point of the Norwegian coastline by the village of Båly, the Snøhetta-designed ‘Under’ restaurant will be Europe’s very first underwater restaurant. Though the title of the restaurant is aptly named in English, the word can also be translated to ‘wonder’ in Norwegian.

The half-sunken structure will dip into the sea, with half of the building’s monolithic form breaking the water’s surface while the other half rests on the craggy shoreline. The restaurant will rest directly on the sea bed five meters below the water’s surface. The structure’s walls will be a meter-thick and will feature massive acrylic windows to offer a views of the seabed.

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Under will be split into essentially three levels. From the entrance, where the tidepool is swallowed by the sea, guests enter the wardrobe area. Visitors are then ushered down one level to the champagne bar, which marks the transition between the shoreline and the ocean, before finally being led down to the seabed level of the restaurant, where two long dining tables and several smaller tables are placed in front of the large panoramic window.

More than simply a restaurant or an aquarium, Under will also become a major part of its marine environment. Outside of opening hours, parts of the restaurant will be dedicated to a marine biology research, with the researchers aiming to create ideal conditions on the seabed so fish and shellfish can thrive in proximity to the restaurant.

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The building will accommodate 80-100 guests and informational plaques will be mounted alongside the trail leading guests to the restaurant entrance at the water’s edge. This path will offer info about marine biodiversity and the Norwegian coast.

Find out more about the Under restaurant over at the Snøhetta’s Website, and make sure you check out Snøhetta’s 7th Room Treehotel as well as their Lofoten Opera Hotel concept.

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