Arkitektur in Norway has evolved dramatically since the first dwellings were built. There is one aspect of life in Norway that arkitektur has always contended with, and will continue to do so unless Icelandic volcanoes cause Norway to sink into the sea– the elements. The Norwegian climate brings harsh winds, salt spray from the ocean, heavy precipitation, and a wide spectrum of temperatures. Therefore, architects have to keep all of these things in mind when they design buildings in specific areas for specific purposes. Of course the reality of the economy, cultural shifts, demographic changes, and sophistication of teknologi all play a part in architectural movements.
The earliest forms of arkitektur in Norway are represented by the log building tradisjon and the stave tradisjoner (best exampe-the Stave churches, of which there are 28 left out of about 1,000) during the Viking Age and the Middle Ages.
Nidarosdommen
Both traditions involve wood (which Norway has plenty of-timber is one of Norway´s primary natural resources).
A little later on during the late Middle Ages, Norway adopted some Romanesque architectural tradisjoner (St. Mary´s Church in Bergen is a good example), as well as gothic. A beautiful gothic building is Nidarosdommen in Trondheim. It is a must see and must go inside sight to see if you are in Trondheim.
Later on, the Renaissance, Baroque, and Roccoco periods influenced Norway with architectural shifts. Romanticism and historicism followed neo-classisim in the 19th century. Romanticism popularized red-brick buildings, as well as elements such as projecting roofs and verandas.
Despite all of these outside architectural influences, Norwegian arkitektur has always in a way subscribed to vernacular building-that of using locally available materials. For Norway, this means wood.
Art nouveau, functionalism, mass residential, and recontruction arkitektur influenced Norwegian building practices in the 20th century. As I mentioned before, Norwegian arkitektur remains very focused on environmental elements. Today, more than ever, the mental and emotional needs of people as residents and occupants of buildings play a roll in arkitektur. Examples that come to mind include but are certainly not limited to: the amount of sunlight a room lets in (has an impact on the mood of the residents), the ability of a residence or building to blend in with the natural world (the theory is that this makes people feel more relaxed because they are closer to nature), and aesthetic appeal (can combat the effects of a harsh climate).
As I travel to northern Norway soon, I will pay particular attention to the architecture there.
