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Surrounded by stunning mountains and calming fjords, the city of Bergen in Norway is a truly beguiling city. If that wasn’t enough, a new project is transforming a section of waterfront into a unique gathering point with a hiking trail, amphitheater and a floating swimming pool shaped like a starfish.

Called True Blue, the first phases of the waterfront project are slated to open in 2022, with the aim of the entire thing being finished by 2024. It will see a starfish-shaped sea pool being installed along with saunas, a kayak hotel and high diving boards. There will be an urban beach created for all kinds of sports such as skating and volleyball, while an underwater trail for divers will include ship wrecks and obstacles that can be explored.

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True Blue Park Bergen
One of the most unique features will be a pool in the shape of a starfish © White Arkitekter

“We were inspired by the special relationship between the city of Bergen and water. Bergen has more than 200 days of rain every year and here we are designing a beach. Right away we found out that you must love water to live here. So, we decided that everything about this project has to be about water. Rain, mist, cold mountain streams, the fiords and the sea. True Blue is our way to express the love story between the city and water. Scandinavians love to go into the sea all year around and this project is all about making exciting landscapes and architecture that accommodate the urge of being in water,” Niels de Bruin, Landscape Architect with White Arkitekter, the company in charge of the project told Lonely Planet.

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Bergen Waterfront
The architects behind True Blue wanted to celebrate Bergen's relationship with water © White Arkitekter

The attraction will be a big draw for tourists and locals hoping to relax and unwind by the water, and will include a coastal hiking trail, two sandy beaches, three playgrounds, a floating stage for performances, scenic bridges, a dog park and sheltered spaces. The project also seeks to showcase how sustainability can be implemented in an interesting and functional way.

Read more:

Watch fish swim by from your floating glass-bottomed eco-hotel suite
Would you work from a hotel room for a change of scenery?
Buckingham Palace is selling a gin with botanicals from the gardens

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