Nils Slaatto
Encyclopedia
Nils Slaatto., was for more than two decades one of Norway
's most prominent and influential architect
s, having a strong and distinctive impression on Norwegian architecture.
, Oppland
, Norway
, on June 23, 1923. His father Oddmund Eindride Slaatto, was a functionalist
architect in Oslo
in the years between the two world wars. His mother, Anine Wollebæk, came from Lillehammer and was also an architect, graduating from the University of Technology, but never practised.
During 1938-39 Nils Slaatto took carpentry
at the Technical School in Oslo before he enrolled into the Norwegian Institute of Technology
, Faculty of Architecture, were he graduated in 1947.
The post-war
period offered numerous tasks; the most demanding was the rebuilding of northern Norway, where Slaatto participated in the reconstruction
of Finnmark
as district architect in Vadsø
and Tana from 1948 to 1950. Large parts of the area suffered major damage during the war because of the Germans'
use of the scorched-earth
tactic.
In 1949 Slaatto married Margit Bleken of Trondheim
, the sister of the famous Norwegian artist :no:Håkon Bleken. When they moved to Oslo
Slaatto started as the leader of the Farmers' Architectural Office there. Here he met fellow architect and Lillehammer native Kjell Lund
, who was also a fellow graduate from the Norwegian Institute of Technology
.
As youngsters, Slaatto and Lund had both wandered around Maihaugen
, an open-air museum consisting of many types of old wooden farm buildings. They were influenced by this Norwegian wood architecture, adapting age-old techniques to modern production demands. An example is the "Ål cabin" in the Hallingdal
Valley, designed in cooperation with Jon Haug.
In 1957 Lund and Slaatto were invited to take part in a limited competition for an extension to the Akershus
County Agricultural College at Hvam
. In 1958, after winning the competition, they were able to start their architectural firm "Kjell Lund and Nils Slaatto", a partnership that lasted for three decades. In 1988 the company changed its name to Lund & Slaatto Arkitekter AS. Kjell Lund remained an architect/partner of Lund & Slaatto Arkitekter AS until autumn 2002.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
's most prominent and influential architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
s, having a strong and distinctive impression on Norwegian architecture.
Biography
Nils Slaatto was born in the winter sport town of LillehammerLillehammer
is a town and municipality in Oppland county, Norway, globally known for hosting the 1994 Winter Olympics. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. As of May 2011, the population of the town of Lillehammer was...
, Oppland
Oppland
is a county in Norway, bordering Sør-Trøndelag, Møre og Romsdal, Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Akershus, Oslo and Hedmark. The county administration is in Lillehammer. Oppland is, together with Hedmark, one of the only two landlocked counties of Norway....
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, on June 23, 1923. His father Oddmund Eindride Slaatto, was a functionalist
Functionalism (architecture)
Functionalism, in architecture, is the principle that architects should design a building based on the purpose of that building. This statement is less self-evident than it first appears, and is a matter of confusion and controversy within the profession, particularly in regard to modern...
architect in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
in the years between the two world wars. His mother, Anine Wollebæk, came from Lillehammer and was also an architect, graduating from the University of Technology, but never practised.
During 1938-39 Nils Slaatto took carpentry
Carpentry
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
at the Technical School in Oslo before he enrolled into the Norwegian Institute of Technology
Norwegian Institute of Technology
The Norwegian Institute of Technology, known by its Norwegian abbrevation NTH was a science institute in Trondheim, Norway. It was established in 1910, and existed as an independent technical university for 85 years, after which it was merged into the University of Trondheim as an independent...
, Faculty of Architecture, were he graduated in 1947.
The post-war
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
period offered numerous tasks; the most demanding was the rebuilding of northern Norway, where Slaatto participated in the reconstruction
Museum of Reconstruction
The Museum of Reconstruction for Finnmark and North Troms is a museum in the town of Hammerfest, Norway.As was much of Northern Norway, the entire town of Hammerfest was razed to the ground by the retreating Nazi German military forces at the end of World War II...
of Finnmark
Finnmark
or Finnmárku is a county in the extreme northeast of Norway. By land it borders Troms county to the west, Finland to the south and Russia to the east, and by water, the Norwegian Sea to the northwest, and the Barents Sea to the north and northeast.The county was formerly known as Finmarkens...
as district architect in Vadsø
Vadsø
is a city and municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The city is the administrative centre of the municipality and the county of Finnmark....
and Tana from 1948 to 1950. Large parts of the area suffered major damage during the war because of the Germans'
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
use of the scorched-earth
Scorched earth
A scorched earth policy is a military strategy or operational method which involves destroying anything that might be useful to the enemy while advancing through or withdrawing from an area...
tactic.
In 1949 Slaatto married Margit Bleken of Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
, the sister of the famous Norwegian artist :no:Håkon Bleken. When they moved to Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
Slaatto started as the leader of the Farmers' Architectural Office there. Here he met fellow architect and Lillehammer native Kjell Lund
Kjell Lund
-Personal life:Lund was born in Lillehammer as the son of Arve Johan Lund and Margit Tora Hornes. He married Tove Berg in 1954.-Career:Lund cooperated with architect Nils Slaatto for many years. Among their designs are Asker City Hall, Chateau Neuf in Oslo, and the module based system Ålhytta. Lund...
, who was also a fellow graduate from the Norwegian Institute of Technology
Norwegian Institute of Technology
The Norwegian Institute of Technology, known by its Norwegian abbrevation NTH was a science institute in Trondheim, Norway. It was established in 1910, and existed as an independent technical university for 85 years, after which it was merged into the University of Trondheim as an independent...
.
As youngsters, Slaatto and Lund had both wandered around Maihaugen
Maihaugen
Maihaugen is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Lillehammer, Norway. Maihaugen, with close to 200 buildings, is one of Northern Europe's largest open air museums and is one of the largest cultural facilities in Norway.-History:The founder, Anders Sandvig, collected from old houses and...
, an open-air museum consisting of many types of old wooden farm buildings. They were influenced by this Norwegian wood architecture, adapting age-old techniques to modern production demands. An example is the "Ål cabin" in the Hallingdal
Hallingdal
Hallingdal is a valley and traditional district in Buskerud county in Norway. It consists of the municipalities of Flå, Nes, Gol, Hemsedal, Ål and Hol.-History:Ancient routes went to Vestlandet through Valdres and Hallingdal and down Røldal to Odda...
Valley, designed in cooperation with Jon Haug.
In 1957 Lund and Slaatto were invited to take part in a limited competition for an extension to the Akershus
Akershus
- Geography :The county is conventionally divided into the traditional districts Follo and Romerike, which fill the vast part of the county, as well as the small exclave west of Oslo that consists of Asker and Bærum...
County Agricultural College at Hvam
Hvam
Hvam may refer to the following locations:*Hvam, Nes in Nes municipality, Akershus, Norway*Hvam, Skedsmo in Skedsmo municipality, Akershus, Norway...
. In 1958, after winning the competition, they were able to start their architectural firm "Kjell Lund and Nils Slaatto", a partnership that lasted for three decades. In 1988 the company changed its name to Lund & Slaatto Arkitekter AS. Kjell Lund remained an architect/partner of Lund & Slaatto Arkitekter AS until autumn 2002.
Works
- 1964 Asker Town Hall — one of the most important building from the mid-1960s
- 1966 The Ål cabin — became both a commercial and professional success.
- 1971 Det Norske Studentersamfund - :no:Chateau Neuf
- 1976 Veritas I — Climax of Norwegian StructuralismStructuralismStructuralism originated in the structural linguistics of Ferdinand de Saussure and the subsequent Prague and Moscow schools of linguistics. Just as structural linguistics was facing serious challenges from the likes of Noam Chomsky and thus fading in importance in linguistics, structuralism...
.
Achievements
- 1962–63 Vice Chairman Oslo Architects' Association
- 1968–70 Vice-President National Federation of Norwegian Architects
- 1965–70 Member of editorial staff Bonytt
- 1968–70 Member of the board of the national Federation of Norwegian Applied Art
- 1965–68 Lecturer at the School of Architecture in OsloOsloOslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
- 1965–68 Lecturer at the Faculty of Architecture, Norwegian University of Technology
- External examiner, lecturer and consultant for new appointments at the Architectural College
- Member of the jury for Norwegian and Scandinavian architecture competitions
- 1968 — PispalaPispalaPispala is a city district 2.5 km from the centre of Tampere, Finland. It is located on the northern slope of Pispalanharju, the highest esker in Finland....
district, TampereTampereTampere is a city in southern Finland. It is the most populous inland city in any of the Nordic countries. The city has a population of , growing to approximately 300,000 people in the conurbation and over 340,000 in the metropolitan area. Tampere is the third most-populous municipality in...
, FinlandFinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside... - 1980 — Music and Conference Centre, PoriPoriPori is a city and municipality on the west coast of Finland. The city is located some from the Gulf of Bothnia, on the estuary of the Kokemäenjoki river, which is the largest in Finland. Pori is the most important town in the Satakunta region....
, Finland - 1985 — CopenhagenCopenhagenCopenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
Harbour, DenmarkDenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark... - 1988 — U.L.T. Newspaper/Publishing building, VästeråsVästeråsVästerås is a city in central Sweden, located on the shore of Lake Mälaren in the province Västmanland, some 100 km west of Stockholm...
, SwedenSwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
- 1968 — Pispala
Selected books on Lund & Slaatto's work
- Lund & Slaatto, by Ulf Grønvold, ISBN 82-00-02633-7
- Moe, Ingvild Simers; Eidsvolls plass og Studenterlunden En studie av byrommets funksjonelle, estetiske og symbolske kvaliteter med utgangspunkt i Lund og Slaattos engasjement på 1970- og 80-tallet, Hovedoppgave i Kunsthistorie UiO 2006
External links
- Official website (Norwegian)