News of Norway

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2008 summer
news of norway
design +
architecture
page 3-9
Volume 66
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dear reader
s Norwegian architecture firms are climbing up international rankings, the people of Oslo
are climbing all over a brand new opera house. The white “marble mountain” is our capital’s latest landmark, and the building – designed by Snøhetta (Oslo/New York) – is getting worldwide attention for its beauty, functionality, and accessibility. (Pages 2-3)
A very different project, the Norwegian Tourist Routes, is also getting its share of praise
these days. In recent years, small but sensational architectural projects have been commissioned
and built alongside Norwegian roads. The result is a wonderful expression of how Norwegian
architects and designers are inspired by nature. An international
exhibition about the tourist routes called Detour is on its way to the
United States, scheduled to open in Washington, D.C., in March,
2009. (Pages 8-9)
A
candinavian furniture design is traditionally known for sleek
lines, cool colors, and natural elements. The independent
Norwegian style draws on inspiration from classic models,
with a special focus on simplicity, functionality, and quality. The
new generation of Norwegian furniture designers brings these values with them in creating cutting-edge design for the international
market. Norwegian designers may long have been known as the little sister compared to their Scandinavian neighbors. But, judging by
the impressive Norwegian participation at New York’s international
furniture fair (ICFF) earlier this spring, that is definitely about to
change. (Page 6)
The new wave in Norwegian architecture and design tells a story
about Norway as a nation that is forward-looking yet uses tradition and heritage to find the best
functional solutions in a modern society. In this issue of News of Norway we are happy to share
with you some of the exciting things that are happening in Norwegian architecture and design,
both in Norway and in the United States.
PHOTO BY MATS SILBERG
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PHOTOS BY JARO HOLLAN/NINA REISTAD/TROND ISAKSEN/STATSBYGG
Kristin Iglum
Consul: Press, Information and Culture
Royal Norwegian Consulate General New York
Royal Norwegian Embassy
2720 34th. St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20008
(202) 333-6000
www.norway.org
AMBASSADOR
Wegger Chr. Strommen
COUNSELOR, COMMUNICATIONS
Jannicke Jaeger
EDITOR
Arild Strommen
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Caroline Schonheyder
SUBSCRIPTION
News of Norway (ISSN: 0028-9272)
is published by the Royal Norwegian
Embassy in Washington, D.C. The
magazine was founded in 1941 and
reaches 36,000 subscribers in the United
States and Canada. For a free subscription,
write or call with your name and
address, or send an email to
subscription@norway.org
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architecture
inner beauty
by anne myklebust
hile the exterior of the new
Norwegian Opera House became a
hot topic as soon as Snøhetta won an
anonymous architectural competition in 2000,
the interior of the building until very recently
had gotten far less attention. With the opening
of the building in April, that’s changing
already.
When international media covered the
opening of the opera, the interior design
received as much attention as the structure
itself. Little was left to chance, with every part
of the building undergoing significant testing
before the opening. The Norwegian Opera did
several tests of the acoustics before the walkthrough, and dancers from the National Ballet
practiced on the floors in March to confirm
that they were optimal for pirouettes and
jumps.
The interior design is best described as
minimalist. An artistic embellishment committee, which has overlooked all decorative
aspects, was tasked with ensuring that each
room complemented the overall style of the
building. Among the most impressive decorative elements is a chandelier in the main concert hall, produced by Hadeland Glassverk.
The chandelier comprises 17,000 glass units
and hangs 52 feet above the floor. It is also an
acoustic reflector, serving a crucial musical
function as well as adding glamour.
The artistic embellishment committee
clearly strived for a cohesive style, but also
played with contrasts to add drama. The best
example may be the main auditorium’s stun-
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ning oak panelling. Several journalist commented on the walls after the opening, including British Times Online journalist Richard
Morrison: “When you step into the theatre’s
heart – in contrast to all the dazzling marble
outside – you are suddenly plunged into a
world of oak, stained in a multitude of rich
hues. It is as if a majestic tree has been
embedded deep inside a glacier.”
n collaboration with Corcoran Gallery of
Art, the Royal Norwegian Embassy
brought Craig Dykers, a partner at
Snøhetta, to Ambassador Wegger Chr.
Strommen’s residence just nine days prior to
the April 12, 2008 opening, to give an engaging presentation of the building to an
American audience. Dykers focused mainly
on the interaction of the building and its surroundings, but also noted the care that went
into designing the interior of the building.
It is telling that Dykers did not emphasize
the accolades the building had received from
journalists and architects, but rather spoke of
the day when the public was allowed to walk
onto the roof of the opera for the first time.
Dykers showed pictures of people of all ages
sitting and walking on the building; interacting with it just as the architects imagined they
would when the first sketches were drawn in
1999 and 2000. Dykers said simply, “It was an
amazing day.” Now that the opera has opened,
and people can explore the interior of the
building as well, every night has the potential
to be just as exhilarating.
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PHOTOS
1. The facade of the newly opened opera.
2. Gallery. 3. Foyer facing main entrance.
4. Foyer and stairs to auditoriums. 5. Ballet
practice room. 6. Main stage with chandelier made up of 17,000 pieces of glass.
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architecture
PHOTO BY SPACE GROUP
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by thomas aastad
norwegian architects: building the future
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he firm Brendeland & Kristoffersen was
established in 2002 by young architects
Geir Brendeland and Olav Kristoffersen,
both educated in Norway. Their practice has
won numerous awards and commissions,
including social housing in Trondheim and
new houses on the Arctic island of Svalbard.
Their housing project for young people in
Svartlamoen, Trondheim, has received interest from around the world and propelled the
firm into the international spotlight. In 2007
the project was short-listed among the 40 best
architectural works in Europe from 2005-
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2007, for the Mies van der Rohe Award (EU
prize for contemporary architecture). In
August 2007, the office was selected for the
international architects’ panel that is going to
design the Athletes’ Village for the 2012
Olympic Games in London.
Tommie Wilhelmsen, another young architect making an impact, is based in Stavanger.
He wants his buildings to challenge people’s
preconceptions of what a house is and should
be. Elements such as wind, landscape, terrain,
sun, light, and climate are crucial in all his
projects. “Each house is a unique project
which is designed for only one particular
place on this earth,” Wilhelmsen said.
Wilhelmsen is best known for the
Aurland Lookout (pages 9 & 14), which is a
50/50 collaboration with Canadian architect
Todd Saunders from Bergen-based firm
Saunders Architecture. The Aurland Lookout
is a seamless curve of locally harvested timber
that sprouts out 98 feet from the road, before
cascading into a fjord. The naked eye can
hardly register the wall of glass that protects
sightseers from the edge of this amazing
structure, which has become a landmark in
Norway since its recent completion.
nother Stavanger-based firm shaping
the future look of Norway is Helen &
Hard, which was founded in 1996 by
Siv Helene Stangeland and Reinhard Kropf.
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PHOTO BY SPACE GROUP
Norway’s second largest city, Bergen, is
also being treated to an iconic building by
Snøhetta. The National Academy of Arts,
due to be completed June 1, 2009, is built on
the shore of a lake surrounded by three mountains. The new academy building will look out
over the lake and the distant city skyline.
In its new location, the academy will help
generate urban development along the lake,
and become an important symbol of the cultural life of Bergen. Preserving the existing
trees and buildings has been an important
aspect of the project. Parts of the existing
industrial buildings on site will be used as elements of reference, mature trees will be integrated into the large entrance plaza and the
old stone wall facing the road on the east side
of the site is to be kept as it stands today.
PHOTO BY INGE OVE TYSNES
orwegian architecture is hitting new
highs with numerous iconic buildings
being built across the country by both
new and more established firms.
One of the more recognized Norwegian
names in the world of architecture is Snøhetta,
whose credits include the library in
Alexandria, Egypt, and the planned WTC
Cultural Centre in New York. In the UK the
firm has received widespread acclaim for the
2007 Serpentine Pavilion in London’s Hyde
Park, which was designed by the firm’s cofounder Kjetil Thorsen.
In Norway, Snøhetta designed the new
National Opera House (pages 2-3) which
just opened in Oslo. The firm also just completed the Petter Dass Museum in northern
Norway. Dass is one of Norway’s most
beloved poets, and the museum is built at
Alstahaug, where he was the vicar from 1689
until his death in 1707. The historical importance of the surroundings made the task of
determining a site and designing a new building sensitive and challenging. Snøhetta created a new site by cutting into the landscape. The
cut allowed a freestanding building, which in
volume balances the mass removed. This bold
solution creates a fresh but respectful relationship to the historical site and allows an
expressive architecture. The museum contributes to visualizing the historical span from
the origin of the church to present time.
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ounded by architects Gary Bates, Gro
Bonesmo, and Adam Kurdhal, Space
Group is a network-based firm in Oslo
whose work has won numerous awards.
Embracing a straightforward attitude to architecture and urbanism, and engaging both
research and project development, the office
approaches small and large projects with similar ambition. They won the first prize in the
2006/07 competition for the Brattøra Hotel, 4
a 380,000-square-foot complex in Trondheim,
incorporating what will be one of the largest
conference hotels in Scandinavia, with 400
rooms, a congress/culture hall that can hold
2,000 people, a public park, and an aquarium.
Previously, the firm’s V-House project, a
6,200-square-foot private residence on the
waterfront of an island 16 miles west of Oslo,
won first prize in both the 2005 Norwegian and
European steel award competitions.
Great architecture is not just found in the
southern parts of Norway. The firm a-lab
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(Architecture Laboratory) is building a museum and a cultural centre way above the Arctic
Circle. The firm was founded in 2000 with the
goal of producing innovative and refreshing
projects by joining forces with associates
from diverse professional backgrounds. When
a-lab enters competitions or starts work on
commissions, its members try to identify collaborators to join a project group that will lead
to the best result for the client as well as challenge the a-lab employees professionally.
The method works well, and is clearly visible at the planned Arctic Culture Center 5
in Hammerfest, the world's northernmost city.
The goal is to provide the city’s seaside area
with new functions and architectural characteristics, ensuring an attractive town center and
strengthening the town’s identity. The building
will be Hammerfest’s ”living room,” a public
and social space for all. The center will be the
first building on the waterfront and will help
development of the connection between
Hammerfest town center and the ocean.
Simultaneously, a-lab is building the
Ruija Kven Museum in Vadsø, Finnmark,
which is Norway’s largest and northernmost
county. The museum works with documentation of the Kven history (settlers who came to
the area from Finland in the 18th century).
The mainly outdoor museum has buildings
highlighting the multicultural nature of the
region, and which shows Vadsø as a fishing
village, merchant town, and agricultural area.
Now the museum is building a new house to
tell the Kven’s history, not through objects,
but via various forms of media such as films
and digital installations. Construction is due
to start in 2009. The coming years are sure to
see many more exciting Norwegian buildings
in both urban and rural areas.
PHOTO: SNØHETTA
Like Snøhetta’s Petter Dass Museum and the
Aurland Lookout, Helen & Hard’s mountain
lodge at the path leading up to the Pulpit Rock,
a cliff overhanging the Lyse Fjord, blends
nature and architecture. The mountain lodge
(page 16) includes 24 guest rooms, a café, a
restaurant, and a conference room, and is well
fitted in the environment. The main construction consists of a rib-work of doubled up massive wood elements, which create spacious
public zones and individual guest rooms, as
well as intimate zones along the facade.
There’s nothing the Norwegians like more
than heading to the mountains when they have
a day off. Traditional mountain cabins that
have belonged to families through generations
are scattered around the Norwegian landscape, with new cabins also being built at a
fast rate. div.A architects, established in 1987
in Oslo, is one of the many firms asked to
build such cabins. The company’s design
approach is within the Scandinavian tradition,
a tradition that focuses on functionality, a sensitive approach to context, the use of natural
materials, all with a human dimension. Their
recent mountain cabin in Hemsedal is located in a planned area designated for leisure
buildings. The site is close to the slopes of the
ski resort of Hemsedal, allowing ski in/ski
out. The chalet is built with contrasting materials: a “wooden box” inside a concrete
“frame,” as architectural elements in a building with a simple footprint.
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PHOTO BY BRENDELAND & KRISTOFFERSEN
PHOTO BY A-LAB
PHOTO BY SPACE GROUP
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Snøhetta
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www.snoarc.no
Helen & Hard
www.hha.no
Brendeland & Kristoffersen
www.bkark.no
Saunders Architecture
www.saunders.no
Tommie Wilhelmsen
www.tommie-wilhelmsen.no
a-lab
www.a-lab.no
Space Group
www.spacegroup.no
PHOTO BY A-LAB
PHOTO BY SPACE GROUP
PHOTO BY MICHAEL PERLMUTTER
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design
chair and there
by silje bekeng and mats silberg
orwegian furniture designers have been perfecting their models,
upholstering and varnishing chairs and made sure nothing was
left to chance when preparing for the 2008 International
Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) in New York in May. Among
more than 600 exhibitors from 38 countries, nine Norwegian furniture
designers presented their works.
Visitors at the fair were greeted by Inside Norway, the conglomerate of Norwegian furniture producers, as they entered the Javits Center.
At the fair you could check out furniture design by several Norwegian
exhibitors, such as Mokasser’s Whole in One chair, inspired by the pattern a body leaves when sitting in the snow, and Fora Form’s round,
pop arty Planet chair and the 3D-veneer produced Copenhagen chair.
Scandinavian furniture design has made a name for itself all over
the world, and with this year’s ICFF, Norwegian designers
are proving that they are ready to break new
ground in the international market.
Norwegian furniture producers
have traditionally found inspiration in classic models.
However, from the 1930s
they started cooperating
with
professional
designers, and the
1960s are usually
seen as the first
golden era of
Norwegian
furniture
design. During
that decade an
independent
style
was
developed,
focusing on
s i m p l i c i t y,
functionality,
and quality.
he 1990s saw the
growth of a range of
young designers making cutting-edge furniture.
Functionalism and the pioneers of the 1960s are still
inspirations, but the designers
are increasingly open to ideas
from the international market. The
industry consists of about 450 companies, and more than 30 percent of the
products are exported.
At the ICFF this year, Mokasser and
Fora Form were joined by Variér
Furniture, Aksel Hansson, and
Cathrine Kullberg at the
Inside Norway booth. Also
present were Designers
Go
Playground,
KLOSS, and Nina
Edwards Ankers
Nea Studio, making sure that
Americans got
a glimpse at
some of the
finest furniture
Norway has
to offer.
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PHOTO BY MATS SILBERG
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Producers are still often small,
family-operated businesses,
and despite high wages and
stiff international competition, half of the furniture
sold in Norway is made in
the country.
BLUE CHAIR: Mokasser’s Whole in One is the result of
a student assignment at the National Academy of the
Arts in Oslo. The designers were inspired by the patterns a body leaves when sitting in the snow.
www.mokasser.com
WHITE CHAIR: Variér Eight brings your kitchen to
life with its outstanding comfort. The hidden tiltingmechanism allows you to sit freely and relaxed for
hours.
www.varier.no
BLACK CHAIR: The Copenhagen chair is a Master’s
Degree work by Lars Tornøe. The project demanded use
of 3D-veneer. Compared to conventional veneer, this
material allows more creative laminate shapes.
www.foraform.com
LEFT: Inside Norway’s stand at the 2008 International
Contemporary Furniture Fair.
www.insidenorway.no
www.icff.com
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PHOTO ERIK KNUDSEN/MOODS OF NORWAY
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norwegian “moods” in san francisco
M
by cecilie klaumann
country skier Oddvar Brå. Images of Henie’s
magical spin, Brå’s broken ski pole and the 10
mountain guidelines for safe skiing can be
found adorning T-shirts and hoodies.
The design duo is skilled with color, as
typically seen in their men’s suits. An impressive array of plaids and solids mix and match
to make a couple of three piece suits into an
entire wardrobe.
But the pièce-de-résistance in the
menswear must be a paisley/psychedelic
printed suit in hot pink, lime green, blue and
black, in which the wearer will no doubt be
the talk of the party – if not the town.
More than anything, the clothes are functional, fun, easy to care for and well-made,
embracing rustic and downtown sensibilities
with flair. A collection of eyewear is also in
the included.
They were extremely well received by the
Norway Day Festival goers in San Francisco,
where the area around the stage was packed
during the 45-minute show, – which also
included selections from another renowned
Norwegian label: Oleana.
Barely four years after the initial brainstorming session in Hawaii, the company is
now represented in polished shops and showrooms in Norway, Sweden, Denmark,
Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Benelux,
Iceland, Australia, Japan, and the United
States. Its flagship store opened in Oslo in
February this year, located next to a Louis
Vuitton boutique.
Moods of Norway has its headquarter and
showroom in Stryn, a small town famous for
glaciers, salmon fishing, and, according to
Simen and Peder, one newly opened escalator.
BELOW: Moods of Norway fall
and winter 2008 collections shown
at the 16th annual Norway Day
Festival in San Francisco.
www.moodsofnorway.com
PHOTOS BY LEE BLADES/TROND GILBERG
f
oods of Norway was ‘born’ in
Honolulu, Hawaii, the brainchild of
designers Simen Staalnacke and Peder
Børresen, who had just completed their studies in Australia and Hawaii. “The idea for the
concept came after a party,” they said during
a whirlwind spring visit to San Francisco,
where their fall and winter 2008 collections
was shown at the 16th annual Norway Day
Festival in May.
The two creative designers wanted to tell
stories from Norway and make clothes for different moods. Every Moods of Norway item
has a small Norwegian detail or twist. For
2008, a small and tastefully embroidered tractor can be found on breastpockets and cuffs,
bearing a number enlightening the happy
wearer as to how many tractors are registered
in Norway.
The collection also pays tribute to
Norwegian winter sports idols such as legendary figure skater Sonja Henie and cross-
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PHOTOS BY HUGO FAGERNES
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by anne myklebust
architectural ‘detour’
oad trips are often considered the best way to explore the
scenery in foreign countries. By taking a detour on the road in
Norway, you may find some surprising architectural gems.
Soon, some of these scenic highlights can be experienced without
crossing the Atlantic – when the exhibit Detour travels to the United
States in 2009.
Detour started in 1993 as a collaborative project between the
Norwegian Public Roads Administration and the foundation Norsk
Form. At the heart of the project lay a wish to integrate contemporary
architecture into Norwegian landscapes.
this goal in mind, Norwegian and
rather than simply With
international archipromoting norway’s tects and designers
well known natural have over the past
located 18
attractions, these decade
suitable
tourist
architects wanted routes in Norway,
highlighted
to draw attention to and
them by creating
interesting locations close to 200 innovaalong the less traf- tive and visually
viewing
ficked roads, hope- appealing
platforms, resting
fully luring tourists points, and picnic
along the
off the beaten path. areas
roadsides.
PHOTO BY 3RW
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ather than simply promoting Norway’s well
known natural attractions, the architects
wanted to draw attention to interesting locations along the less trafficked roads, hopefully luring tourists off the beaten path. Like many recent
architectural projects in Norway, the dynamic
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between these constructions and their immediate surroundings was at
the forefront of the designers’ minds. In an article for Architectural
Record, journalist David Sokol describes the project as a “dialogue
with nature.”
nspired by the initial success, the Norwegian Public Roads
Administration and Norsk Form wanted to bring these eye-catching constructions to those not able to travel to Norway. Now,
instead of you having to make the detour – the detour exhibit travels to
the United States. Curators Barbro Westling and Peter Johansson
decided to look outside the perhaps obvious choice of crisp nature and
I
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PHOTOS BY HUGO FAGERNES
architecture
PHOTO BY KNUT BRY
he exhibition displays a selection of the constructions through a
striking brass-trimmed display case from the 1900s. The case, in
the form of a rotunda, echoes Victorian England, and allows visitors to view the installations and their surroundings through binoculars. Models of the constructions have also been created, and are displayed in glass cases surrounding the rotunda, with explanatory
posters.
PHOTO BY MAGNE FLEMSÆTER
T
he contrast between the sleek, modern design of the installations
and the antique style of the rotunda adds to the unique experience of the exhibit. Those visiting the exhibition have expressed
fascination at the feeling of entering another world when looking
through the binoculars.
After having been shown in Berlin and Paris, the exhibit can be visited at the Norwegian Road Museum in Lillehammer throughout 2008.
The National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., will show the
exhibit from early 2009, and the exhibit will travel to other cities in
North America in the fall next year, and into 2010.
T
Top left and right: Tungeneset and Aurland
Lookout. Bottom left and right: Flydalsjuvet in
Gairanger and Askvågen in Møre og Romsdal.
Bottom: The case through which the exhibit is
viewed is in the form of a rotunda, and allows visitors to see the installations and their surroundings
through binoculars.
PHOTO BY TORD LUND
stripped down architecture for inspiration when creating the traveling
version of the exhibit. Instead, they looked to early tourism and early
tourists’ penchant for “the mystical masterview” for ideas.
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environment
Ellesmere Expedition 2008 Completed
Polar explorer and environmentalist Will Steger and a team of six 22-28-year-old explorers, including two
Norwegians, just completed a 1,400-mile dogsled expedition across Ellesmere Island in Canada, sponsored
by the Norwegian Embassy in Washington. They documented the impact of climate change in the
Canadian Arctic, an area on the frontline of global warming. Read excerpts from their blog below.
compiled by caroline schønheyder
Day 27: “After 27 hard days through mostly rough ice conditions we
finally made it to the remains of the Ayles Iceshelf. This is one of the
main goals of our expedition. It was a dramatic moment when we saw
the 26-foot tall ice wall of the Ayles on the horizon. We camped this
evening below the edge of the iceshelf resting after four pretty brutal
days in the roughest ice we have experienced. As much as it was great
to get to Ayles it is also sad to witness this great iceshelf floating
around in the sea destined to disintegrate. Only three years ago,
Ellesmere’s coastline included a much larger Ayles Iceshelf. In a matter of minutes much of this iceshelf broke off and became a floating ice
island. It had been in place for at least 4,500 years before it broke away.
The ice island calved off from the Ayles Iceshelf because of unusually
warmer temperatures and persistent offshore winds.”
Toby Thorleifsson
PHOTO BY SAM BRANSON
PHOTO BY BEN HORTON
Day 1: Sunday March 2008: “Our first day on the ice, what a great
feeling to be finally relieved of all the pre-expedition stress! Ahead of
us lies 60 amazing days, spent with 6 incredible people and 30 great
dogs. This will be a journey!” Eric McNair-Landry
Day 2: “It was pretty cold on the face today. You have to be really careful. My nose had turned white before someone pointed it out to me.
Luckily it was not deep and all was okay!” Sam Branson
Day 4: “Another great day on the ice, as we start to eat through our
food and the dogs start to eat through theirs the sleds become lighter
and we gain momentum. A large portion of that weight is dog food.”
Eric McNair-Landry
PHOTO BY SAM BRANSON
Day 5: “After being spoiled by awesome terrain the last couple of
days, we ran out of luck. Dead ahead lay patches of rough ice. We managed to weave our way in and out, hugging the shore avoiding most of
the bigger chunks.” Sarah McNair-Landry
Day 30: “We took a rest day today: a great opportunity to read, write,
and take a sponge bath. The latter gives you a chance to check for cuts
which may get infected and to keep track of where your body is at,
health-wise.” Sarah McNair-Landry
Day 39: “An absolutely incredible day. This morning the sun was shining. Not a breath of wind in the air. The huge mountains beside us
stood in full glory as they basked in the sun’s heat. Traveling in conditions like this gives you a real chance to take in your surroundings and
appreciate where you are. It’s amazing the perspective it gives you. Not
only being in such an inspiring place, but being so detached from the
outside world. How people get so fixated on little things and actually
miss the bigger picture. As big and powerful as this world seems it is
really a fragile place.” Sam Branson
Day 40: “Exactly 110 years and 3 days ago on May 5th, part of Otto
Sverdrup’s team traveled up this coast mapping and surveilling. They
reached the location were we are now camped, where they were forced
to turn around because they ran out of food.” Sarah McNair-Landry
Day 6: Ice chunks can be a great danger and the team must move more
carefully and at a slower pace. The ice chunks can hurt both the team
members and the dogs, and break their sleighs. Polar bears pose another challenge. “Today we crossed polar bear tracks many times, and a
middle sized bear showed up sniffing around our camp at dinner time.”
Sigrid Ekran
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Day 49: “It seems impossible to really capture this place with a camera, or even with words. It cannot capture the feeling of sitting alone
atop an iceberg in the frozen sea listening to the distant howls of
wolves. The howls set our dogs into their own symphony and the
silence of the sea ice is broken. We made today a short travel day, not
for lack of energy or difficulties, but simply because the region we just
entered is by far the best environment to see wildlife.” Ben Horton
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Arctic Nations Cooperate on Climate Change
by caroline schønheyder
n May 28, Norwegian Minister of
Foreign Affairs Jonas Gahr Støre met
with representatives of the other four
states bordering the Arctic Ocean: Canada, the
United States, Russia, and Denmark. At the
conference in Ilulissat in Greenland, the ministers adopted a joint declaration on how to
approach the challenges facing the Arctic
Ocean due to climate change.
The meeting was based on the legal
assessments made at a conference in Oslo in
October 2007, at which the same five states
met at a senior political level.
The declaration establishes that the existing law of the sea provides the framework for
future national measures and cooperation
with regards to environmental protection,
PHOTOS BY B. JAHNSEN/NORWEGIAN MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
O
research, establishing the outer limits of the
continental shelf, and shipping. In his speech
at the Ilulissat conference, Minister Støre
said: “In order to respond [to the challenges
faced in the Arctic region,] we need two
things: a legal framework and sound policies
… In my view, the challenges we are facing
may have to do more with a lack on implementation of the existing rues than with an
actual lack of rules. There is no lack of rules,
there is a lack of policies.”
The need for sustainable policies is one of
the reasons Norway has placed the High
North as its strategic priority, something that
harmonizes well with Norway’s chairmanship
of the Arctic Council, a seat the country will
hold until October 2009. In addition to the
Day 62: Expedition completed: The expedition ended up taking a different route than planned as melting ice had created a terrain impossible to penetrate. Back in civilization, the team met with Al Gore, and
will now share their observations with scientists from the National
Snow and Ice Data Center at the University of Colorado.
“Despite the trail being massively more rugged than anticipated,
many good memories were catalogued along the way. It seems like the
harder the conditions get the more it draws people together, to participate in a singular goal and to help each other in times of need.” Eric
McNair-Landry
“We have now started to present our eyewitness accounts and share
our experiences from the frontlines of global warming in the U.S and
Norway. In fact, this is our most important and most challenging part
of our mission. We need to try as best we can to use our story in an
attempt to empower our generation for the time’s most important issue.
As much as it might seem overwhelming to be faced by the complex
issues of global warming our generation also has been given a glorious
opportunity to collectively do the right thing. We have a magnificent
chance to develop international cooperation and to make our mark on
history with positive connotations.” Toby Thorleifsson
states represented at the Ilulissat conference,
the Arctic Council includes Sweden, Finland,
and Iceland, as well as the participation of
indigenous people of the Arctic region. The
council will play a central role in further
cooperation.
As the icecap of the Arctic melts, waterways open up, giving new opportunities for
exploiting the natural resources of the Arctic
Ocean. At the Ilulissat Conference, Støre
talked about the Norwegian policies for management of Norwegian waters. He highlighted
the integrated management plan for the
Barents Sea, which addresses energy exploration, management of fish resources, transportation and environmental concerns. “The
purpose of the plan is to facilitate long-term
value creation based on the sustainable use of
the sea areas, while preserving the structures
and productivity of their ecosystems. I believe
that the basic approach of the plan – ecosystem-based management – should govern management of the resources of the Arctic,” Støre
said. Since no agreement has been reached on
who is entitled to which Arctic resources,
many call for pragmatic collaboration.
PHOTO BY BEN HORTON
From the left, Denmark’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Per Stig Møller, Norway’s Minister
of Foreign Affairs Jonas Gahr Støre, Greenland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Aleqa
Hammond, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources Gary Lunn, United States Deputy
Secretary of State John Negroponte and Greenland’s Premier Hans Enoksen.
Norway’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Jonas
Gahr Støre and United States Deputy
Secretary of State John Negroponte.
For events presenting the expedition's findings see
www.globalwarming101.com
www.norway.org
www.norway.org | 11
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food
St. Hansaften: Eat Your
Porridge and Light Your Fire
by caroline schønheyder
t. Hansaften is the ultimate summer
feast in Norway. On the evening of June
23, Norwegians light bonfires, pick
flowers to put under their pillows, and celebrate summer and light.
The St. Hans celebrations have roots
across northern Europe, and were also
brought to Canada with the first French colonialists. In Canada, the celebration is called
Saint-Jean-Baptist Day or Quebec National
Holiday. The celebrations take on somewhat
different forms in the different countries, but
the origins are much the same. St. Hans is a
Christian holiday to honor Saint John the
Baptist (also called Saint Hans). The day of
celebration was set to June 24 to outdo the
pagan celebrations of midsummer or summer
solstice. However, it is the celebration of summer, sun, and light that has survived in countries such as Norway. In Norway, celebrations
take place the evening before June 24. Aften,
as in St. Hansaften, means evening.
The tradition of lighting bonfires on this
occasion came from the pagan belief in fire as
the protector against evil spirits. The sun,
which in the Northern hemisphere is at its
highest at midsummer, probably inspired this
belief. The night of St. Hans was supposedly
a night of magic. If, for instance, a young girl
picked seven flowers and put them under her
pillow, she would dream of her future husband.
As on any day of celebration, food is
important on St. Hansaften. When asked what
she associates with St. Hansaften, Ingeborg
Nygaard, the chef at the Norwegian Embassy,
said: “bonfire, rømmegrøt (sour cream porridge), cured ham, barbeque, midsummer,
sun, family, friends, children, and my childhood. On St. Hansaften I get together with my
family and friends and go to a field to make a
bonfire. We bring sour cream porridge, cured
ham, barbeque food like sausages, and just
have a good time for as long as we can stay
awake. It is all about celebrating summer with
the people you love the most. When I was little I was very superstitious. I made sure to
jump seven fences and pick seven different
flowers, put them under my pillow, and try
hard to dream about a boy I liked.”
“Why we eat sour cream porridge on this
day? Well, it is a tradition. Eating sour cream
porridge on special holidays is a strong tradition in Norway, and St. Hans is s special holiday. Sour cream porridge is a tradition that
goes far, far back in time. It is such a simple
and timeless recipe,” she said.
12 | www.norway.org/food
PHOTO COURTESY TINE/WWW.JARLSBERG.COM
S
Rømmegrøt (Sour Cream Porridge)
Often served with cured meats and flatbrød (crisp bread)
This recipe serves 4
Ingredients
1 pint thick sour cream
12 tablespoons flour
1 pint milk
Salt
Preparation
1. Boil the sour cream, covered, for 2 minutes. Add half of the flour and stir carefully
to bring the butter to the surface. Skim it off, reserve it and keep it warm.
2. Stir in the rest of the flour and add the milk. Simmer the porridge for 5-6 minutes.
Season to taste with salt.
If one prefers a slightly tangy sour flavor, half of the milk added may be sour milk or
kefir.
Sour cream porridge is eaten sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon and with the reserved
warm melted butter. Some people also like to add raisins on top, as pictured above. Red
juice, such as raspberry or currant, is usually served with the porridge.
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books
by silje bekeng
orwegian crime literature continues its success story in the U.S.
with the publishing of What Never Happens, the second book in
Anne Holt’s popular Stubo/Vik series.
Anne Holt is no newcomer on the literary scene: Her books have
sold more than 3 million copies, gaining her a worldwide audience and
a reputation as one of Scandinavia’s foremost crime writers.
Her American debut, What Is Mine, was published last year and
introduced readers to the crime-solving team of Adam Stubo and
Johanne Vik. Back then, they were working on a case of kidnapped and
murdered children in Norway.
In What Never Happens, a new series of gruesome murders is terrifying Oslo’s residents. Stubo and Vik are caring for their newborn
child, and are reluctant to take on the case. But drawing on a lecture
she heard as a profiler for the FBI years before, Vik developsvolves a
theory that she and Stubo might be the murderer’s next victims.
Holt’s first American publication received remarkably enthusiastic
reviews. Booklist wrote: “Holt proves herself worthy of being known
as the Norwegian Henning Mankell … exceptionally well-drawn characters … essential for all mystery collections.” Meanwhile, Kirkus
Reviews called the book “a savvy, sharply delineated suspense novel
… immensely rewarding.”
One of Holt’s strengths as a crime writer is her in-depth knowledge
of the law and police work. A former minister of justice, lawyer, TV
anchor, and journalist, Holt’s books offer not only chilling mysteries,
but also a glimpse into a world often hidden from the public. Holt has
also spent several years in the United States: in Dallas; Farmington,
Maine; and Harwichport, Massachusetts.
What Never Happens was published by Grand Central Publishing
in February 2008. What Is Mine is now available in paperback, and the
next book in the series is due to be published in 2009 or 2010.
N
What Never Happenes
By Anne Holt
Grand Central Publishing
$24.99 (hardcover)
Karin Fossum Wins Los
Angeles Times Book Award
orwegian writer Karin Fossum won the prestigious Los Angeles
Times Book Award this spring for her novel The Indian Bride.
Fossum, who lives in a small town in southeastern Norway, is
taking the world by storm with her “heart-stoppingly suspenseful”
writing. The crime writer has gained an enthusiastic following of readers in the U.S., and on Friday evening, April
25, she was awarded the LA Times Book
Award in for best mystery/Thriller, for her
novel The Indian Bride. The novel is one of
several that features Inspector Konrad Sejer.
Karin Fossum was nominated together with
Benjamin Black, Åke Edwardson, Tana
French, and Jan Costin Wagner.
The prize is awarded in connection with
the biggest literature festival in the U.S., Los
Angeles Times Book Festival. It is usually
awarded to English-language authors. The
Indian Bride (Elskede Poona) – translated by
Charlotte Barslund – is Fossum’s fourth book
on the U.S. market. The novel takes us to the
town of Elvestad, where one day the battered
body of a woman is found in a meadow.
Everyone is shocked by the gruesome crime, but Inspector Konrad
Sejer understands that in this town, no one is altogether innocent.
Fossum’s crime novels featuring Inspector Sejer have been translated into 16 languages, and she has received rave reviews in the New
York Times and the Washington Post, among others. Other L.A. Times
Book Awards winners this year were Andrew O’Hagan for Be Near Me
(Harcourt) and Dinaw Mengestu for The Beautiful Things That Heaven
Bears (Riverhead Books).
N
What is Mine
By Anne Holt
Grand Central Publishing
$12.99 (paperback)
The Indian Bride
By Karin Fossum
Harcourt Books
$14.00 (paperback)
summer 2008 | news of norway | 13
PHOTO BY LAURENT DENIMAL
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Page 14
www.norway.org
on tour
music
VOICE OF JOY
Voice of Joy
SEATTLE, WA, July 11, 7:00 pm
Rock of Ages, sevice
SEATTLE, WA, July 13, 9:00 am
and 11.15 am
Westgate Chapel, service
SEATTLE, WA, July 13, 6 pm
Aurora Church of the Nazarene,
service
NASHVILLE, TN, July 16, 17, 18
Christ Church, Music & Worship
Conference
NASHVILLE, TN, July 20, 9.15 am
and 11 am
Brentwood Baptist, service
NASHVILLE, TN, July 20, evening
Christ Church, service/concert
ATLANTA, GA, July 26
Marietta Seventh-Day Adventist
Church, service
ATLANTA, GA, July 27
Mt. Paran Church of God, service
VOICE OF JOY
The Norwegian gospel choir Voice
of Joy will perform 12 concerts on
their 6th tour of the United States.
They have released three albums
over the past five years, the last
one being a live recording from the
Brentwood Baptist Chruch in
Nashville, produced by David
Hamilton. For the past five years
they've also travelled extensively
in the U.S., England, Ireland and
Norway, performing up to 50
shows a year. Voice of Joy will be
visiting Seattle, Nashville and
Atlanta on their tour this summer,
and will participate in the major
Music & Worship conference in
Nashville from July 16 - 18.
Info: www.voj.no or
www.norway.org
14 | www.norway.org
PHOTO COURTESY OF NORWEGIAN FILM INSTITUTE
For a complete and nationwide
updated calendar of
film
events please visit
"Reprise"
The award winning drama
"Reprise" is one of the most talked
about Norwegian films in years,
and has finally made its way to the
U.S. The film opened in New York
and Los Angeles on May 16, followed by a national rollout. The
freewheeling passion of youth and
the unpredictable perils of fate are
both the subject and the breathtaking form of Joachim Trier's
directorial debut, which travels a
lean and kinetic journey through
friendship, love, madness and creativity, which the New York Times
calls "the brightest sign of life in
some time in Norwegian cinema."
For screening times and venues,
check your nearby movie theatres
or online:
Info: www.reprise-themovie.com
or www.norway.org
east coast
exhibit
Counter Surveillance
creates a "counter surveillance."
At the Queens Museum, Bulova
Satellite Gallery.
Info: www.norway.org
PHOTO COURTESY OF SCANDINAVIA HOUSE
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exhibit
NEW YORK, NY, through July 13
Vibeke Jensen uses good old spy
gear in her artworks. Through
the surveillance equipment, she
Inspired By Hardanger
NEW YORK, NY, through Sept. 7
2008 marks the 100 year anniversary for the birth of poet Olav H.
Hauge and pianist and composer
Geirr Tveitt. Get to know their
works and beautiful homeplace
Hardanger, as the two artists are
honored in New York with a special exhibition. At the Trygve Lie
Gallery in The Norwegian Church
at 317 East 52nd Street, New York
Info: (212) 319-0370 or online at
www.trygveliegallery.com
exhibit
Detour at the National Building
Museum
WASHINGTON, DC
Early 2009.
In recent years, small but sensational architectural projects along
Norwegian tourist routes have
gained national as well as international attention. Inspired by the initial success, the partners behind
the exhibition, Norwegian Public
Roads Administration and Norsk
Form, bring an exhibit showcasing
these eye-catching constructions
to those not able to travel to
Norway. The exhibit opens in
Washington, D.C., in March 2009
and may travel to other cities in
North America. See pages 8-9 of
this issue of News of Norway.
Info: www.norway.org
PHOTO BY NILS VIK
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calendar
film
“Sejer” in New York
NEW YORK, NY, July 2 - 31
Wednesdays at 6:30 pm &
Thursdays at 2:30 pm
Karin Fossum's main protagonist,
Inspector Konrad Sejer, has made
his ways to TV screens in Norway,
and now even to New York, as
Scandinavia House screens the
popular series this summer.
Fossum is an internationally
acclaimed writer, and recently
won the Los Angeles Times Book
Award for her novel The Indian
jazz
Jostein Gulbrandsen
NEW YORK, NY, July 23
A native of Namsos, Norway, guitarist Jostein Gulbrandsen plays
electric, acoustic nylon string, and
fretless guitar. A graduate of the
Manhattan School of Music,
Gulbrandsen recently released his
first CD as a band leader,
"Twelve," on Fresh Sound New
Talent. He works with the Matt
Grason Motel Project and coleads the band Randal with Fred
Kennedy and Roland Fidezius,
and has just finished a recording
with Nate Smith Quartet.
Info: (212) 879-9779 or
www.scandinaviahouse.org
acres of restored prairie. Every
night is a dance party. There will
be bunkhouse accommodations
and tenting. Children and teens
are welcome.
Info: registration at www.hfaa.org
or contact Loretta Kelley by email:
workshopchair@hfaa.org or call
(301) 270-4925
celebration
Norsk Høstfest 2008
NORTH DAKOTA, October 1 - 5
midwest
folk music
Norsk Høstfest, North America's
largest Scandinavian festival, is
celebrating its 31st year. Tens of
thousands of people attend the
event annually to celebrate and
partake in the Scandinavian culture and entertainment. The
Beach Boys, Kenny Rogers and
Daniel O'Donnell are some of the
artists that will entertain at this
year's festival. Entertainment is
definitely on the menu at Norsk
Høstfest. But then, so is food, with
dining ranging from family style at
numerous food booths around the
complex, to upscale, at the
acclaimed En To Tre gourmet
restaurant. The cuisine as well as
the clothes, art and jewelry are
authentic, fine quality and exquisitely Nordic. More than 200 internationally recognized artisans,
craftsmen and chefs participate.
The Nordic history and heritage
are alive from the Clog Shop and
the Import Shop to the Sølje Shop
and the General Store. The experience is an eclectic array of contemporary and traditional.
Info: www.hostfest.com or call
(701) 852-2368
new museum
Little Norway Memorial Building
MUSKOKA, ON
The new museum is situated at
the Muskoka Airport and tells the
story of Little Norway – where
many Norwegians were trained
during World War II.
Info: www.emb-norway.ca
exhibit
Sámi and Inuit Contemporary Art
festival
Nordic Roots Festival
MINNEAPOLIS, MN, Sept. 25 - 28
Hot sounds from cool traditions.
The 2008 Nordic Roots Festival is
the "10th annual and final" - the
culmination of a decade of celebrating the new sounds of old
music from the Nordic countries.
Beginning in the fall of 2009, the
festival goes international and
becomes the Global Roots
Festival. Nordic music will still be
part of this annual event as well as
the Cedar Cultural Center's season-long programming. Bands
featuring Norwegian musicians
include Frigg and Waltz With Me.
Concert and workshop program to
be announced online.
Info: www.nordicroots.org
PHOTO BY MATTI KIVELÄ
2008 Hardanger Fiddle Music &
Dance Workshop
DODGEVILLE, WI, July 17 - 20
The Hardanger Fiddle Association
of America is hosting the annual
workshop on July 17-20, 2008 at
Folklore Village in Dodgeville,
Wisconsin. The workshop focuses
on Hardanger fiddle and dance.
Folklore Village is 35 miles west of
Madison, Wisconsin, and set on
canada
Minnesota's Norwegian
Sesquicentennial Celebration
ROCHESTER, MN, October 18
As Minnesota celebrates the
150th anniversary of statehood,
the Norwegian Statehood Pioneer
Project will recognize those
Norwegian pioneers who were
here when the state was born and
contributed to the development of
its institutions and culture. Join the
celebrations at Mariott Hotel in
Rochester on October 18, 2008.
There will be displays and demonstrations, an afternoon program
with speakers and entertainment
honoring Norwegian-Minnesotans
who lived in the state at the time of
statehood, and an evening banquet to end the day.
Info: www.mn-nspp.org
festival
Bride, which features Konrad
Sejer. (See page 14) Four of
Fossum's Inspector Sejer novels
have been made into film series
and were originally shown on
Norwegian TV, where they were
among the highest rated shows in
Norway. Bjørn Sundquist has won
both a Norwegian Gullruten award
and an Amanda award for his role
as Konrad Sejer. At the
Scandinavia House, 58 Park
Avenue. Tickets are $8
Info: (212) 879-9779 or
www.scandinaviahouse.org
OTTAWA, ON, through August 17.
"In the Shadow of the Midnight
Sun" is the first of its kind to investigate the differences and similarities between the art of the Inuit
and the Sámi people. The exhibit
will be shown at the National
Gallery of Canada in Ottawa.
Info: www.gallery.ca/
music
Royal Norwegian Army Band in
Québec City
QUÉBEC CITY, QC Aug. 16 - 24.
The Norwegian Army Band is
invited to the Québec City
International Festival of Military
Bands. During the summer
months the city is known for its
vibrant street life. This year,
Quebec City is celebrating its
400th Anniversary.
Info: www.fimmq.com and
www.forsvaretsmusikk.no
summer 2008 | news of norway | 15
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news of norway
PRESORTED
STANDARD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Washington, D.C.
Permit No. 251
Royal Norwegian Embassy
2720 34th. St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20008
(202) 333-6000 www.norway.org
PHOTO BY MOODS OF NORWAY
cover shot
Norwegian designers Moods
of Norway showed their new
clothing collections at San
Francisco’s Norway Day in
May. (Cover photo and page 7)
Cert no. SW-COC-2142
News of Norway is printed on forest-friendly paper. Number of trees saved: 12.39;
total energy saved: 8,776,250 BTUs; greenhouse gas reduction: 1,147 lbs.;
wastewater reduction: 5,263 gallons; solid waste reduction: 582 lbs.
news of norway
2 2008
PHOTO BY EMILE ASHLEY
norwegian architects:
blending buildings and nature
tavanger-based Helen & Hard is one of several Norwegian architectural firms shaping the future look of Norway. Like Snøhetta’s Petter Dass
Museum and the Aurland Lookout, Helen & Hard’s mountain lodge on
the path leading up to the Pulpit Rock – the cliff overhanging the Lyse Fjord
– blends nature and architecture. The lodge includes 24 guest rooms, a café,
a restaurant, and a conference room, and its placement is well fitted into the
environment. The main construction consists of a rib-work of massive wood
elements, which create spacious public areas and individual guest rooms, as
well as intimate zones along the facade.
S
ILLUSTRATION BY HELEN & HARD
read more about norwegian architects inside