Norway’s Architect Supreme
September 29, 2001 | 12:00am
The cover of the Architectural Review 2001 caught my eye as I was waiting one morning to meet a Norwegian architect in Oslo. The glossy cover features a highly unusual conical-shaped structure done mainly in wood and glass. I wondered what it could be – most likely a church, I thought, until I opened the magazine and found out that it was actually the Parliament House of Norway!
The structure is just so out of this world that I found myself so engrossed in finding out more about it. I was completely taken by all the pictures in the inside pages because the different sides of the building were shown against the forests and Norway’s trademark – clear blue skies. And while being so modern in form, the building still harmonizes so well with nature and its environment. Every angle actually looks like it also grew there along with the trees around it.
It is not often that I get excited by what I see in magazines but this one suddenly made me oblivious of everything else around me. However, before I could even read the text, I was gently jolted out of my excitement by the arrival of the architect I had an appointment with. "That is one of my works," he said in a very low-key tone. I looked up and right before me was this tall, lanky gentleman extending his hand. Perhaps looking a bit dumbstruck, I gathered my thoughts as I shook his hand. This was architect Stein Halvorsen, the creator of the magnificent edifice on the cover I still had in my hand, and the person I was meeting with. I was floored.
Stein is one of Norway’s finest architects. And as I always say, the best are most of the time the kindest. He spoke with a gentle voice and his humility is something that can put all the wanna-bes to shame. One by one, he explained to me his projects, past and present. Of the finished ones, the most talked about are the Parliament, which was reviewed many times over by noted architectural journals, and the Ambassador’s House in Berlin, where the Norwegian Ambassador officially stays.
Because I was particularly smitten by the Parliament project, I concentrated more on finding out about his work here.
"This was a major project that took a lot of time to win," Stein said. "In Norway, the competition to get major projects is tough because apart from the actual design, functionality is a main issue and one has to work it out to know the perfect balance between what may be a stunning shape in accordance to usefulness." Stein also said, "In reality, it is also logical because what is the use of something that is visually appealing that can only feed the eyes and nothing else?"
So, he worked with partner Christian Sundby to achieve this goal to find the right combination of what would be visually different, perhaps even unique, and at the same time functional in every aspect of shape there is." Then he told me, "In Norway, all sorts of international experts are invited to study your proposal and perhaps if you are lucky, all the other hundreds of entries are eliminated and you win it ! " So humbly put, yet this man has done many major landmarks around his country.
My readings on Norwegian architecture made me understand more about its development. It should be noted that Functionalism became a force in Norway way back in the 1800s. This was evident in the works of architect Lars Backer when he created the most functional restaurants Skansen and Ekeberg in Oslo. Likewise, the use of wood goes back centuries in tradition. In Norway, timber was never a problem and was always available just about everywhere and to everyone. Wooden homes make for warm dwellings and in such a climate, stone houses were a mark for the very wealthy because unless one can afford a great deal of fuel, a stone house is very cold and uncomfortable during the long winter season.
Norwegian architecture finds its distinctive qualities in the use of wood. The dynamics of Norway’s wooden architecture stem from the country’s roots in the crossroads between two cultures: the vast coniferous forest belt of the valleys of the east came the custom of cog-jointed log houses. This may be seen in the way log cabins are done today. Then, from the rugged and fjorded west that has sparser forests came the stave tradition, requiring less materials: a supporting structure of posts filled with thinner walls made of cut wood. According to the book, this principle was "developed to virtuosity with the stave churches of Norway."
In explaining his design of the Parliament Building, Stein combined his ultra-modern idea with the most traditional Norwegian tent called lavvo. This tent, shaped like an inverted cone, was originally designed by the nomadic Norwegians of the north called Sami. Piercing through this conical chamber is Stein’s "glass dagger" which is actually a glass bridge that he created to form a sharp and interesting feature whose function is to lead visitors to the different areas of the building.
Inside the Parliament is a well designed debating chamber for its thirty-nine members, including proper facilities for any number of visitors. Outside of this, and not within immediate view but easily accessible through the curving corridor, is the lounge area that points to a south-eastwards view of a beautiful river that runs along an endless landscape of pine trees and green meadows with all the wild flowers during summer. Passing through the semi-circular corridor is already an experience in itself. It has a ceiling of approximately 25 feet with highly professional lighting direction that one area alone radiates a majestic feeling. It speaks of prominence not only in design but workmanship. Above all this, the space is larger than normal size and the width affords to encourage informal discussions without affecting anyone passing by. Talk about function!
Stein further explained that in doing his designs, measurements have to be accurate according to expected movement of people and things inside. Therefore, these are not simply good looking sketches that are blown-up into monumental proportions. "It simply does not work correctly that way." Quite pensively, he added, "Doing otherwise results in the ridiculous, and it would seem to me, after looking at many pictures of architectural designs around the world, some western -designed hotels in Southeast Asia demonstrate such application that results in a kind of assiduous vulgarity."
Stein’s primal concern is to maintain simplicity of form. Then he creates a carefully - thought-out element of abstraction to blend with this form – conscious and virtually aware of every detail he puts in. Hence, any adjective related to the word "kitsch" remains out of the question - he is allergic to it. This is clearly shown in the Parliament Building where abstraction is further emphasized by the thin wedged-shaped glass bridge that skewers through the cone, dividing it into the chamber itself and the triple-height anteroom which contains the stairs leading to the public gallery and down to the underground lecture theater. The glass fills these areas with natural skylight especially in summer and aside from that, there are no other windows in the cone.
Probably realizing that I was really in full admiration of his design, Stein enthusiastically continued to explain the unique structure over lunch. "We also wanted to make an ‘abstraction of the experience’ of entering the cone. As in the lavvo (tent), when the outside seems impassive, one discovers that upon going through the membrane, then all the elements become clear." It is therefore intentional that the entry point is muted in its power to make a strong impression.
But stepping in the chamber and walking towards the gallery, virtually induces a feeling of awe. "The gallery serves as the ligament which unites all parts of the place - physically, visually and socially" Stein emphasized. Clearly his excellent design resulted in this symbolic place that is the Parliament.
With all the accolades and features of his work, one would wonder what else could he come up with that would supercede this magnificent piece of architecture. Currently, he has 15 ongoing projects! Can you imagine passing through a panel of experts and winning 15 times? On my next visit to Oslo, I will actually be seeing the result of his fabulous design for a recreation area consisting of parks and facilities beside the Munch Museum. And quite far from the madness of the world, I will look forward to seeing Architect Stein Halvorsen’s evolving explorations of his talent once and many times more.
The structure is just so out of this world that I found myself so engrossed in finding out more about it. I was completely taken by all the pictures in the inside pages because the different sides of the building were shown against the forests and Norway’s trademark – clear blue skies. And while being so modern in form, the building still harmonizes so well with nature and its environment. Every angle actually looks like it also grew there along with the trees around it.
It is not often that I get excited by what I see in magazines but this one suddenly made me oblivious of everything else around me. However, before I could even read the text, I was gently jolted out of my excitement by the arrival of the architect I had an appointment with. "That is one of my works," he said in a very low-key tone. I looked up and right before me was this tall, lanky gentleman extending his hand. Perhaps looking a bit dumbstruck, I gathered my thoughts as I shook his hand. This was architect Stein Halvorsen, the creator of the magnificent edifice on the cover I still had in my hand, and the person I was meeting with. I was floored.
Stein is one of Norway’s finest architects. And as I always say, the best are most of the time the kindest. He spoke with a gentle voice and his humility is something that can put all the wanna-bes to shame. One by one, he explained to me his projects, past and present. Of the finished ones, the most talked about are the Parliament, which was reviewed many times over by noted architectural journals, and the Ambassador’s House in Berlin, where the Norwegian Ambassador officially stays.
Because I was particularly smitten by the Parliament project, I concentrated more on finding out about his work here.
"This was a major project that took a lot of time to win," Stein said. "In Norway, the competition to get major projects is tough because apart from the actual design, functionality is a main issue and one has to work it out to know the perfect balance between what may be a stunning shape in accordance to usefulness." Stein also said, "In reality, it is also logical because what is the use of something that is visually appealing that can only feed the eyes and nothing else?"
So, he worked with partner Christian Sundby to achieve this goal to find the right combination of what would be visually different, perhaps even unique, and at the same time functional in every aspect of shape there is." Then he told me, "In Norway, all sorts of international experts are invited to study your proposal and perhaps if you are lucky, all the other hundreds of entries are eliminated and you win it ! " So humbly put, yet this man has done many major landmarks around his country.
My readings on Norwegian architecture made me understand more about its development. It should be noted that Functionalism became a force in Norway way back in the 1800s. This was evident in the works of architect Lars Backer when he created the most functional restaurants Skansen and Ekeberg in Oslo. Likewise, the use of wood goes back centuries in tradition. In Norway, timber was never a problem and was always available just about everywhere and to everyone. Wooden homes make for warm dwellings and in such a climate, stone houses were a mark for the very wealthy because unless one can afford a great deal of fuel, a stone house is very cold and uncomfortable during the long winter season.
Norwegian architecture finds its distinctive qualities in the use of wood. The dynamics of Norway’s wooden architecture stem from the country’s roots in the crossroads between two cultures: the vast coniferous forest belt of the valleys of the east came the custom of cog-jointed log houses. This may be seen in the way log cabins are done today. Then, from the rugged and fjorded west that has sparser forests came the stave tradition, requiring less materials: a supporting structure of posts filled with thinner walls made of cut wood. According to the book, this principle was "developed to virtuosity with the stave churches of Norway."
In explaining his design of the Parliament Building, Stein combined his ultra-modern idea with the most traditional Norwegian tent called lavvo. This tent, shaped like an inverted cone, was originally designed by the nomadic Norwegians of the north called Sami. Piercing through this conical chamber is Stein’s "glass dagger" which is actually a glass bridge that he created to form a sharp and interesting feature whose function is to lead visitors to the different areas of the building.
Inside the Parliament is a well designed debating chamber for its thirty-nine members, including proper facilities for any number of visitors. Outside of this, and not within immediate view but easily accessible through the curving corridor, is the lounge area that points to a south-eastwards view of a beautiful river that runs along an endless landscape of pine trees and green meadows with all the wild flowers during summer. Passing through the semi-circular corridor is already an experience in itself. It has a ceiling of approximately 25 feet with highly professional lighting direction that one area alone radiates a majestic feeling. It speaks of prominence not only in design but workmanship. Above all this, the space is larger than normal size and the width affords to encourage informal discussions without affecting anyone passing by. Talk about function!
Stein further explained that in doing his designs, measurements have to be accurate according to expected movement of people and things inside. Therefore, these are not simply good looking sketches that are blown-up into monumental proportions. "It simply does not work correctly that way." Quite pensively, he added, "Doing otherwise results in the ridiculous, and it would seem to me, after looking at many pictures of architectural designs around the world, some western -designed hotels in Southeast Asia demonstrate such application that results in a kind of assiduous vulgarity."
Stein’s primal concern is to maintain simplicity of form. Then he creates a carefully - thought-out element of abstraction to blend with this form – conscious and virtually aware of every detail he puts in. Hence, any adjective related to the word "kitsch" remains out of the question - he is allergic to it. This is clearly shown in the Parliament Building where abstraction is further emphasized by the thin wedged-shaped glass bridge that skewers through the cone, dividing it into the chamber itself and the triple-height anteroom which contains the stairs leading to the public gallery and down to the underground lecture theater. The glass fills these areas with natural skylight especially in summer and aside from that, there are no other windows in the cone.
Probably realizing that I was really in full admiration of his design, Stein enthusiastically continued to explain the unique structure over lunch. "We also wanted to make an ‘abstraction of the experience’ of entering the cone. As in the lavvo (tent), when the outside seems impassive, one discovers that upon going through the membrane, then all the elements become clear." It is therefore intentional that the entry point is muted in its power to make a strong impression.
But stepping in the chamber and walking towards the gallery, virtually induces a feeling of awe. "The gallery serves as the ligament which unites all parts of the place - physically, visually and socially" Stein emphasized. Clearly his excellent design resulted in this symbolic place that is the Parliament.
With all the accolades and features of his work, one would wonder what else could he come up with that would supercede this magnificent piece of architecture. Currently, he has 15 ongoing projects! Can you imagine passing through a panel of experts and winning 15 times? On my next visit to Oslo, I will actually be seeing the result of his fabulous design for a recreation area consisting of parks and facilities beside the Munch Museum. And quite far from the madness of the world, I will look forward to seeing Architect Stein Halvorsen’s evolving explorations of his talent once and many times more.
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