Fjords, mountains and peace have been the classical key words synonym to «Norway». Now Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and his Ministry of Foreign Affairs want to promote Norway as an architect nation. The Indo-Norwegian cultural cooperation already has several architect projects in the pipeline.
Indian Architects to Oslo
Exhibitions, lectures and seminars about Norwegian architecture are held around the world. This is a result of a joint effort by the Norwegian MFA and the National Museum of Art. The aim is to increase the cooperation between architect institution in both countries as well as to showcase Norway’s contemporary architecture abroad. Last August six Indian architects went to Norway on a study trip.
One of the highlights during the five day trip was a guided tour at the new Opera house in Oslo by the chief architect Kjetil Thorsen.
The Embassy hopes to stimulate long term collaboration between architecture- and design environments in our two countries
Architecture / design is one of the prioritised arenas for the Indo-Norwegian cultural cooperation.
Ahead with Aviaplan
Norwegian contemporary architecture has already made a landmark in India. Hyderabad International Airport, which formally opened 14th March 2008, was designed by the Norwegian company AVIAPLAN AS, which (won the tender) came out on top among fifty applicants.
- Then we just had to get going, says architect and vocational manager Gudmund Stokke.
He adds that the company from the beginning had to take local cultural conditions into consideration such as designing an airport village in front of the terminal to cater for the many families and friends who come to see off their dear ones at the airport.
Stokke also says that he was touched by how the old and new material unites in such an extensive building process of the airport.
The airport serves between 40 and 50 million passengers yearly.
Future Co-operation
In February Uttarakhand’s new university, University in the Sky, and the Oslo School of Architecture and Design signed a memorandum of understanding to promote academic partnership, cooperation and collaboration. The two learning institutions intend to explore the possibility to exchange students, faculty staff as well as undertake research together.
- This MoU is a direct result of the visit for Indian architects the Embassy arranged last year and other follow up activities will take place in 2009.