The Plus | In the Depths of the Forest, a Factory That Breathes | Norway

Deep in the forests of Norway, there stands a factory unlike any other. It is not surrounded by chimneys and concrete, but quietly stretches out among the trees, as if it has always belonged to this land.
This is The Plus—Vestre’s headquarters, designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG).

The Green Cross in the Forest

From above, The Plus appears as a green cross lying in the forest. Its four wings extend outward, each dedicated to a different function of production. At the intersection lies a transparent courtyard.

When I raised my camera in the forest, I did not only see the clear geometry, but also a rhythm: the building was speaking with its surroundings. It was a moment where reason and poetry coexisted.

The Courtyard: Transparency and a Declaration of Openness

The architectural language of The Plus revolves around its courtyard. This is not a mere junction of functions, but a strong architectural statement. BIG envisioned the factory as ‘logistics transformed into architecture’: the four production zones—woodworking, painting, assembly, and storage—radiate out from the central core, forming a distinct cross-shaped plan.

Here, the courtyard is not a cold distribution hall, but an open, welcoming place. Entering the courtyard, the manufacturing process unfolds honestly before your eyes. This transparency is more than visual—it is a symbol of openness to society, a response to Norway’s tradition of ‘Allemannsretten’ (the right to roam), turning the factory into a place one can walk through, observe, and participate in.

For me, the courtyard is a multi-layered visual frame: it dissolves the boundaries between the factory and the outside world, while also linking industrial processes with the surrounding forest. Through my lens, it becomes a window into the philosophy of the architecture, allowing viewers not just to look at a building, but to reconsider its relationship with society and nature.

A Dialogue with the Forest

The Plus tightly weaves industrial activity with nature. Its roof is covered in vegetation to restore biodiversity, and its energy comes from renewable systems that reduce carbon emissions.

Behind the camera, I felt I was not only documenting a factory, but also exploring the question: how can human industry coexist with the forest?

This is more than a factory—it is a dialogue between environment and architecture. Standing by the glass, I saw more than production lines; I saw an open attitude, an invitation to engage and to understand. It is a gesture that narrows the distance between perception and reality, and gestures toward a shared future of coexistence with the Earth’s ecology. That moved me deeply.

Every gaze is a dialogue with architecture, and this factory is responding to every breath of the forest.

Project Information

– Project | The Plus, Vestre Headquarters
– Architectural Firm | Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG)
– Architectural Photography | Yuchen Huang
– Video | Juro Lin (Juro in Frame)

The Plus | 在森林深處，一座會呼吸的工廠 | Norway

在挪威的森林深處，有一座與眾不同的工廠，它不被煙囪和混凝土圍繞，而是靜靜地展開在樹林之間，彷彿本來就屬於這片土地。
它就是 The Plus——Vestre 家具總部，由 Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) 設計。

森林裡的十字星

如果你從空中俯瞰，會看到一顆落在森林裡的綠色十字星。
四個方向延伸的色彩分區，分別對應不同的生產功能；
而交會處的中心，則是一個透明的中庭。

站在森林裡舉起相機，我看見的不只是清晰的幾何線條，
還有一種節奏感：
建築在用它的形態與環境對話，這是理性與詩意同時存在的瞬間。

中庭：透明、共享的核心與設計宣言

The Plus 的建築語言以中庭為核心，這不是一般功能銜接的空間，而是一種強烈的建築宣言。BIG 將這座工廠視作「物流轉化為建築」的實踐：四個生產區──木材處理、噴塗、組裝與倉儲──圍繞中庭輻射而出，形成明確的十字架形狀。

在這裡，中庭不是冷冰冰的調度室，而是公開、歡迎參與的場域。走進中庭，你會發現生產流程毫不掩飾地展開在眼前。這不是展示，而是一種誠實。這份「透明」不只是視覺上的通透，還是將製造過程向社會開放的象徵，回應挪威的「Allemannsretten」（公民遊行權）傳統，將工廠視作可以共同漫步、參與的場域。

中庭同樣是我很關注的場域，它像一個具有多重意義的「視覺框景」：
一方面，它透過高透明度的設計打破工廠與外界的界線；
另一方面，作為中心節點，它串起日常的生產動線與森林自然，呈現工業與自然共存的張力。

當我透過鏡頭凝望這空間，感受到整個建築哲學的窗口，中庭讓觀者不只是「看建築」，而是重新理解工廠與社會、工廠與自然的關係。

工廠與森林的對話

The Plus 讓工業活動與自然緊密相連，
屋頂覆蓋著植被，恢復生態，能源來自再生系統，降低碳排放。
站在鏡頭後，我感覺自己不是只在拍攝一座工廠，而是試著表達：人類的工業行為如何與森林共生？
這不只是一座工廠，而是一場環境與建築的對話，
我站在玻璃旁，透過鏡頭看到的不僅是工廠的流程，
更是一種開放的態度，
它邀請我們參與，邀請我們理解。
透過對話來消彌認知的差距，一起探索與地球生態共存的可能，
深深的打動了我。

每一次凝視，都是與建築的對話，
而這座工廠，正在回應森林每一次的呼吸。