Middelthunsgate 29 was built in 1962-64 as an administrative building for the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate, NVE. The building was designed by the brothers Lykke-Enger, Fr. Lykke-Enger and Knut Enger, with artistic decorations by Odd Tandberg and Nic Schiøll.
Odd Tandberg was well known for his cooperation with the architect Erling Viksjø on the parliament buildings the Government Quarter a few years earlier. He developed a technique of relief drawings in betón brut. The NVE building exhibits high architectural quality, exclusive details, and solid materials. Its curved shape gives the building a monumental character, setting it apart from similar buildings of the period.
Parts of the building are protected, including the cafeteria, the main entrance, the central staircase hall, two office wings preserving "the small bureaucrat's office," and meeting rooms on the 7th floor of the south wing. The facades are protected both internally and externally.
After the building was renovated in 2011, modern office spaces with more open layouts, improved insulation, and ventilation have been obtained. The historical ambiance and identity associated with the building since 1964 has also been retained.
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