…Architects can become especially visionary when working with artists, and this is what happened here. They had big ideas that presented us with strong challenges. Proposals were considered. The students had their visions and so did the architects. We found a way forward together but it had its costs for everyone. More experience gained. Soon the collaboration between artists and architects – not an uncommon situation in our professional world – was going strong. We had the right permissions, but then the system caught up with us. Statsbygg – the government agency that manages Norway’s real estate – claimed that we were not building one but three pavilions. This started a hard battle over definitions. What makes one pavilion? A process that had finally achieved a good flow and a carefully planned structure was put on hold from one day to the next. We had to wait. They said stop, wait and stop again. Then came the snow – we were in Norway after all. We had prepared for snow, wanting to include it in our project that consisted of a transparent building. But snow, together with a system that had ceased all development, made for a challenging combination. The platforms were ready and became a temporary stage, which made for a surprisingly beautiful setting against the snow. Spring came and some incredibly focused students with good carpentry skills allowed us to reach our goal in time for the 100-year anniversary… AK Dolven

A K Dolven/KHIO/Academy of Fine Art Oslo
Layout and typesetting: Christophe Boutin
Editorial coordinator: Magnus Jorde
Text: A K Dolven, Celine Condorelli, Arve Rød
Photo: All involved in Pavilion 2009, KHIO/Academy of Fine Art Oslo
© 2013, A K Dolven and onestar press