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The architecture of Norway has evolved significantly over several thousand years in response to changing economic conditions, technology, and demographics, but maintains many common characteristics. Several folk museums in Norway have reconstructed or preserved buildings since the Viking era; prominent examples are Norsk Folkemuseum in Oslo and Maihaugen in Lillehammer . HISTORY Construction in Norway has always been characterized by the need to withstand harsh climates, including predictably cold winters and frost, heavy precipitation in certain areas, wind and storms, and scarce resources. Until modern times, transportation infrastructure was primitive, and builders largely had to rely on locally available materials. While there is evidence that Norwegians have acquired building technology and practices from areas outside of Norway since at least the Viking era, many of these have been adapted to meet local needs and overcome local limitations. Pre-historic times The earliest traces of human habitation in Norway are dated to about 9,000 BCE, in mountainous regions near Store Myrvatn in what we today know as Rogaland . These are most likely portable dwellings kept by reindeer hunters. Similar remains of tents have also been found other places along the western coast; at Fosenstraumen near Radøy in Hordaland archeological evidence indicates that tents in use at about 6500 BCE were of similar design to those in use by the Sami nomads. Such tents became semi-permanent through the introduction of a simple foundation. Traces of these can be found at the Vega peninsula. The first permanent dwellings were probably built between 3000 and 2000 BCE, with the introduction of Norwegian agriculture. All available evidence indicates that wood was the most used building material for the first permanent settlements in Norway. Iron age dwellings typically combined shelter for animals and humans in long houses in order to preserve heat. Reconstructions of Iron age structures can be found at Forsand in Ryfylke , near Stavanger . Viking and medieval eras ]] Two distinct houses (typically found in contemporary Log Cabin s from the east; the other was the stave tradition (typically found in Stave Church es from the west. Although there is scant archeological evidence of actual buildings from the time, finds of viking ships (e.g., the Oseberg Ship ) suggest significant mastery of woodworking and engineering. In the Lofoten archipelago in Northern Norway , a Viking chieftan's village has been reconstructed at the Lofotr Viking museum. Not counting the 28 remaining stave churches, at least 250 Norwegian wooden houses are preserved to this day, most of them predating the Black Death in 1350. As the political power in Norway was consolidated and had to contend with external threats, larger structures were built in accordance with military technology at the time. Fortresses, bridges, and ultimately churches and manors were built with stone and masonry. These structures followed the styles of their time. Romanesque architecture The first stone churches in Norway were Romanesque built under the influence of Anglo-Saxon missionaries, particularly bishop Nicholas Breakspear . Examples include the churches at Ringsaker , Kviteseid , and elsewhere. Most of these churches are either gone or rebuilt in Gothic style, but some good examples still exist, notably the church at Trondenes near Harstad in Northern Norway . Gothic architecture Several churches that were originally built as Romanesque structures were modified to the Gothic style. Among these are the Original Cathedral in Hamar , the Stavanger Cathedral , and the renowned Nidaros Cathedral , one of the most important pilgrim destinations in medieveal Europe. Under Danish rule ''(See also Denmark-Norway )'' To a great extent, Danish rulers considered Norway to be a backward province, and infrastructure investments were limited. Fortresses, such as those at Oslo , Vardøhus , Tønsberg , and the Rosenkrantz Tower in Bergen, Norway were built in stone in accordance with standards for defensive fortifications in their time. Many of these were modernized and rebuilt through the years. The Hanseatic League also built unique commercial buildings at Bryggen in Bergen, starting in the 18th century. Renaissance architecture After the Black Death , construction in Norway came to a standstill and resumed in the 16th and 17th centuries under Danish administration. There are limited examples of Renaissance Architecture in Norway, the two most prominent being the Rosenkrantz Tower in Bergen and the Barony Of Rosendal . Baroque architecture Christian IV undertook a number of projects in Norway that were largely based on Baroque Architecture . He established mining operations in Kongsberg and the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Røros , rebuilt the old city of Oslo within city walls and named it Christiania , and founded the trading cities of Kristiansand and Kristiansund , naming them after himself. In addition, many of the fortifications at border areas and ports were modernized in line with Baroque military practice. Although most residences were built in accordance with local customs, some manors (such as Austråt outside of Trondheim and Rosendal in Hardanger , were built as Baroque "outposts." Probably the most famouns Baroque structure in Norway is Stiftsgården , a residential building that is one of the largest wooden structure in Northern Europe. Rococo architecture Rococo provided a brief but significant interlude in Norway, resulting primarily in the distinctly Norwegian craft of Rosemaling , the related Norwegian Wood Carving style, and also a few structures, such as Damsgård near Bergen. In the 1700s, paneling was made possibly by new sawmill technology, and wooden houses were better insulated and more durable throughout the country. Semi-autonomy in personal union with Sweden ''See also Union Between Sweden And Norway '' Politically, the union between Sweden and Norway provided an interlude between being a province of Denmark and complete independence in 1905. Having gained a significant level of autonomy, Norwegians completed a number of important investments in buildings and infrastructure. Neo-classicism One of the first major Neoclassical structures in Norway was the Royal Palace in Oslo, designed by Hans Ditlev Franciscus Linstow , who also regulated Karl Johans Gate which to this day is the main strip in Oslo. Christian Heinrich Grosch , one of the first fully educated architects in Norway, designed the original building for the Oslo Stock Exchange , Norges Bank , and the first campus for the University Of Oslo , with the assistance of Karl Friedrich Schinkel . The German architecture influence persisted in Norway, and many wooden buildings followed the principles of Neoclassicism. Romanticism Norwegian Romantic Nationalism also had an influence on Norwegian architecture. Examples include ornate buildings such as Kirkeristen near Oslo Cathedral and Trefoldighetskirken , also in Oslo. During this period, the so-called "Swiss style" (''sveitserstil'') came into vogue in Norway. A number of residential, institutional, and commercial buildings were built in this style, characterized by ornate, projecting details borrowed by Norwegian architects from Switzerland on their way to Italy. This evolved into a Norwegian variation, known as "dragon style" that borrowed techniques from Viking crafts. In keeping with the natural romantic ideals, the style employed larger windows to bring nature and light into the rooms, high ceilings, and verandas, a new addition to Norwegian buildings. Though it depended on handcrafted (and sometimes overblown) ornamentation, the "sveitserstil" period, marked the point after which mass production of residential housing became more common. Its legacy has also persisted through the years, and a number of projects include elements from the style. Architecture and Norwegian ethnology Until the twentieth century, most Norwegians lived and worked in buildings that were designed and built according to longstanding building practice, what in Norwegian is known as ''byggeskikk''. These practices varied somewhat by region and climatic conditions and evolved over time, but were largely based on use of wood and other available resources. Wood houses were typically cog-jointed log houses, carefully crafted to ensure protection against the elements. Open-hearth fires gave way to stone stoves and chimneys in the late middle ages, and specialized buildings became commonplace, organized around a shared area, or ''gårdstun''. The introduction of paneling in the 18th century improved housing standards considerably and gave rise to larger houses. Building practices along the coast also included boathouses, fishing cottages, pies, etc. Here, houses for livestock and people were typically built up from the actual shoreline. A typical medium-sized farm in the inland of Norway would include a dwelling house (''våningshus''), hay barn (''låve''), livestock barn (''fjøs''), one or more food storage houses (''stabbur''), a stable, and occasionally separate houses for poultry, pigs, etc. Houses that had separate heat sources, e.g., washing houses (''eldhus'') and Smithies were usually kept separate from the other houses to prevent fires. Outhouses were typically separate, small structures. If the farm housed craftsmen, there would also be separate houses for carpentry, wheelmaking, shoemaking, etc. In Eastern Inland Norway and Trøndelag , the houses around a tun were typically organized in a square (''firkanttun''); in Gudbrandsdal , there was a distinction between ''inntun'' (inner tun) and ''uttun'' (outer tun). The configuration of houses also depended on whether the farm was situated on a hill or in flatter terrain. Depending upon the size and economic well-being of the farm, there might also be a feast hall (''oppstue''), a house for the retired farmers (''føderådstue''), farm hands' dormitory (drengstue), carriage house (''vognskjul''), and even distillery (''brenneskur''). Smaller, poorer farms might combine barns and dwelling houses, have simpler storage areas, and use the facilities of other farms for activities they couldn't afford to build houses for. Building traditions varied by region and type of structure. Food storage houses - stabbur - were usually built on stilts in ways that made it difficult for mice and rats, but not cats, to get in. Paneling varied by region, often to take into account local climate conditions. Roofs were often covered with Sod . Many places in Norway farms also maintained mountain farms (''seter''), where cows, goats, and sheep would put out to pasture during the summer months. These would typically include a small dwelling house and a dairy for making and storing cheese, sour cream, etc. Modern Norwegian farms often maintain many building traditions but no longer need the many and varied buildings of the past. However, many of the traditions have been carried on in more recently built vacation cabins in the mountains and along the coast. Twentieth century architecture The German influence brought into Norway by neo-classicism persisted when Norway Gained Its Independence in 1905 and influenced much of early 20th century architecture. As the Norwegian Institute Of Technology graduated architects, there also emerged a distinctly Norwegian Collegium Of Architects that has contributed to a Norwegian regional architecture, discussed by the art historian Sigfried Giedeon . Jugendstil The Jugendstil had a strong influence on much of the new construction in Norway around the turn of the century. The city of Ålesund , after burning to the ground in 1904, was rebuilt almost entirely in this style and continues to be a prominent example of this style, along with Riga and Brussels . But structures such as Nationale Scene in Bergen, the Historical Museum Building in Oslo, and numerous buildings in Ålesund. Mass residential architecture Changing demographics and a growing social awareness led to increased political and architectural interest in providing cost-effective, sanitary, and comfortable residential space to the growing urban population in general and the working class in particular. This was known as ''boligsaken'' ("the housing cause") in Norwegian popular culture and continues to play a role to this day. Architecture became a tool for and manifestation of social policy, with architects and politicians determining just what features were adequate for the intended residents of housing projects. As late as in 1922, there were many who felt that working class families had no need for their own bath; apartments and small houses only included a small kitchen and one or two rooms. Over time, cooperative organizations were formed to finance and build large-scale residential complexes. The largest - Oslo Bolig Og Sparelag , known as ''OBOS'' - was in Oslo, but there were similar initiatives throughout the country. These coops set standards for housing, hired architects to design solutions, and contracted to have them built. Entire sections, known as ''drabantbyer'' - or "satellite cities" - were built in the outskirts of major cities. The first of these - Lambertseter - introduced an entirely new phenomenon in Groruddalen outside of Oslo, but similar areas also emerged in Bergen, Trondheim, and other cities. The apex of this trend was reached in 1966 with the massive buildings in Ammerudlia . This era - which had spent most of its force by the mid-1970s - led to an increased awareness of the physical and emotional needs of city dwellers. Some of the issues under debate were:
The perceived shortcomings of the mass housing movement led to efforts to create cost-effective housing solutions that were more varied, more integrated with natural surroundings, and above all more customized to families' needs. In 1973, the Norwegian Parliament recommended a shift toward small residential houses rather than large apartment buildings. The Norwegian State Housing Bank (''Husbanken'') provided citizens with the ability to fund construction of their homes, and an entire construction industry formed to build these needs. Over time, archaic and otherwise unnecessary restrictions also were relaxed, improving opportunities for more Norwegians to build housing to suit their individual needs and preferences. Norwegians often undertake home improvement projects on their own, and many have built most of their own homes. Functionalism In the late 1920s, a minimalist architectural known as Functionalism or colloquially in Sweden and Norway as "funkis" became popular and stayed popular until about 1940. A number of landmark structures, particularly in Oslo, were built in the funkis style, including the restaurant at Ekeberg (by Lars Backer ), Kunstnernes Hus (by Gudolf Blakstad and Herman Munthe-Kaas ), and Ingierstrand bath, one of several public seaside bath facilities in Norway, by Ole Lind Schistad and Eivind Moestue . Reconstruction architecture Following the Scorched Earth tactics of retreating Wehrmacht troops, large areas in Northern Norway needed to be rebuilt. In 1945, there was an overwhelming need for housing. An architectural competition produced several designs for simple, cost-effective, and rapidly assembled housing. The resulting houses were spartan and broke with building standards but met an immediate need for shelter. The Museum Of Reconstruction in Hammerfest is dedicated to the reconstruction (''gjenreisning''). Government-sponsored architecture As Norway gained full independence in 1905, the national government determined to establish institutions consistent with the newly formed state's ambitions as a modern society. The first prime minister made it a priority to modernize the Royal Palace in Oslo, building among other things, some of the country's first water toilets, providing hot and cold water, and granting the Royal Family's wish of providing a common apartment for the king, queen, and their son. In the early years, such public works were limited to structures needed for the national government's own administrative needs, but an increasing number of large-scale projects were conceived, designed, and completed since 1905 to meet various needs, such as:
The architectural design of these projects have reflected not only the style currents of their time, but the societal debate over the purpose they were intended to serve. Nationalistic ambitions early on gave way to austere designs based on functionalism, and then to designs that emphasized human and ecological needs. To a great extent, Norwegian architects have found the opportunity to develop their signature styles through these projects, and thereby also a Norwegian architectural dialect. Many of the projects have been controversial, and the resulting creative tension has probably served to advance the state of architectural arts in Norway. National and local governments and governmental institutions will continue to be among the largest customers of architects in coming years. CONTEMPORARY THEMES A number of trends affect contemporary architecture in Norway, among them:
A number of architectural prizes are awarded in Norway, including Houens Fonds Diplom , Treprisen , Statens Byggeskikkpris , Sundts Premie , Betongelementprisen , Betongtavlen , Glassprisen , Murverksprisen , Stenprisen , and Stålkonstruksjonsprisen . EXTERNAL LINKS REFERENCES
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