Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Nordic Architecture and Design – Norway
This Håvegen residence won the 2019 Hå municipality Byggeskikkpris award.
Room for excitement Norway has exceptionally varied geography, ranging from large cities to windy coastlines, from deep forests to rocky mountains and sunny archipelagos. This creates demand for houses and buildings tailored to their specific use and location, in terms of both design and durability.
ing them feel bigger, brighter and more spacious. Each building is tailored to the plot of land, be it a garden, the archipelago with its rocky terrain, or the shore.
By Alyssa Nilsen | Photos: Joakim Bjerk / Arkitektkontoret IHT
Located in Jæren on the southern coast of Norway, Arkitektkontoret IHT is used to coastal weather and harsh climate conditions, and despite having clients nationwide, this is something they always take into consideration when designing houses. Built to withstand heavy rain, storms, and the wide span of temperatures the Norwegian climate has to offer, their houses are solid, yet elegant and spacious.
Founded by four women in 1993, Arkitektkontoret IHT, with its 11 architects and engineers, works towards one clear, shared goal: creating room for excitement. This motto is the foundation of all their work and is achieved through good conversations and communication with clients and builders, engagement, and creativity without limits. Though they design a large spectrum of buildings all over the country, from office and utility buildings to housing and holiday homes, their focus is on the latter: houses built for people. “Traditions within construction is something that has accumulated over the 32 | Issue 136 | November 2021
centuries,” says CEO and architect Ingunn Aarrestad. “Today, everything is developing very fast, and it is important to be critical about what we create and make sure that we are positively contributing to future generations. Still, we shouldn’t be so true to tradition that we are afraid to create new cultural elements. Things that are created today also have a right to exist.” Designing buildings made to stand out while blending in with the surroundings defines the work of Arkitektkontoret IHT. Trying to erase the visual barriers between the outside and the inside of a building extends both spaces, mak-
Award-winning architecture One of these buildings is the awardwinning Håvegen. The private residence, consisting of the main building, a tool shed and a garage, is built around a yard the traditional Norwegian way. This provides a sheltered outside space between
