Reiulf Ramstad Interview: The Nordic Way of Building

Learn about the intriguing philosophy and projects of the award-winning Norwegian Reiulf Ramstad Architects in this interview with its founder, Reiulf Ramstad: “Architecture is on trial in relation to the development of the way we live.”
“We believe that architecture makes sense when it’s anchored in the locations where it’s built and the people who are going to use it.” Ramstad isn’t occupied with “the zeitgeist of architecture,” but rather tries to uncover the character of a given place before starting to design for it: “Each project has a story which is like a novel that contains its own axis. And to find the axis for each project is what occupies me.”
Reiulf Ramstad Architects’ way of testing architecture was very significant for the Trollstigen Visitor Centre (2014) project, where they had to create test elements in order to find out whether they would resist the surrounding environment: “I believe we’ll need that insight in the years to come because the climate will change, the weather will be more brutal.”
“The climate has made us very pragmatic … And that pragmatism prompts you to do what is necessary.” The outlying areas - that exist in Nordic countries such as his homeland Norway - hold a great interest to Ramstad due to their uniqueness and the possibilities they represent: “In the big global melting pot, we end up living the same way, eating the same food, wearing the same clothes. In that way outlying areas are a kind of test bed for devising new things.”
Reiulf Ramstad (b. 1962) is the founder, Graduate Architect and Design Director of Reiulf Ramstad Architects (RRA) - an award-winning architecture, landscape architecture and design firm founded in 1995 and based in Oslo, Norway. The firm is internationally known for their work in Norway, and their designs range from private residential to large civic works, such as schools, restaurants, public transit stations, museums and tourist routes. For more see: www.reiulframst...
Reiulf Ramstad was interviewed by Christian Lund at the offices of Reiulf Ramstad Architects in Oslo, Norway in February 2016.
Camera: Simon Weyhe
Produced by: Christian Lund
Edited by: Klaus Elmer
Cover photo: Trollstigen Visitor Centre (2014)
Copyright: Louisiana Channel, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, 2016
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[@annieren3950]

love this philosophical thinking and discussion

[@victor-emmanuel7485]

Fascinating!

[@faust82]

I have never seen someone use such seemingly pretentious language to express such profound thoughts. It's not as apparent in the translations, but definitely apparent to Norwegian speakers. When he started speaking, my first though was "tåkefyrste" (Lord of Fog). It's a Norwegian term for someone who manages to express very little, in very vague and airy terms. Interviews with Morten Harket are amongst the prime examples. Then I listened some more, and he is anything but lacking in substance. His thoughts and views are extremely rational, forward-thinking and grounded. Now, why "seemingly" pretentious? Well, if it has substance and profound value, it's not pretentious, is it?