What if a factory could be more than a place of production and a place for the people?

The Plus is Vestre’s high-tech, climate-positive furniture factory, designed by BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) and located in the Norwegian forest near the Swedish border. Built in just 18 months, the facility redefines what industrial architecture can be: open, inviting, and radically sustainable.

Shaped like a big plus sign, the building unites four production halls: wood, color, assembly, and warehouse around a central public courtyard. Elevated walkways and expansive glass walls create complete transparency, allowing visitors to follow the production flow while immersed in nature. There are no fences, no restricted zones, just openness and learning.

The Plus consumes 60% less energy than comparable buildings, recycles nearly all production water, and generates 250,000 kWh of solar power annually. Even its roof is shared: it is home to native vegetation and public trails.