This seminar will provide a structure for understanding Norwegian architecture. Students will be introduced to Norwegian architectural projects, past and present, in relation to the language and the concepts through which architecture is understood. This will be extended to provide a foundation for considering the history of Norwegian architecture and the history of the city of Oslo.

The seminar will investigate the main themes that have dominated architectural production in Norway. The course will study the relationship between Norwegian architecture and other cultural fields with the aim of highlighting how Norway has conveyed and invented its national identity through buildings. Case studies will provide the framework for students to discover how Norway’s built environment has dealt with questions of style, influence and institutional organisation.

Building on the work of previous years, students will continue to contribute to the Room of Possibilities blog that was established by Andrea Pinochet. Each student will report, in a semi-journalistic fashion, the findings of their research and analysis of chosen case study. The blog is intended to serve as resource and informal guide to Norwegian architecture for both local and vising architects and students.

During the duration of the semester students will engage with contemporary architects, historians, academics, and artists. Lectures and excursions will support and supplement students individual case study analysis.