blakstad haffner arkitekter's hegnhuset in utoya preserves history

following a deadly terrorist attacked on the small norwegian island of utoya in 2011, architect erlend blakstad haffner of blakstad haffner arkitekter (formerly part of fantastic norway at the start of the project) was approached to develop a new community master plan which would re-establish the socio-political values so deeply ingrained in its history, to be called utoya hegnhuset. to understand the root of the project is to understand the nature of the islet which was procured in 1932 by the labour movement, later to be handed over to AUF (norway’s labour youth organization). from its inception, utoya became a hub and retreat for the gathering of political leaders and local youth- the entire island developed into a safe haven for the birth and spread of ideas, eventually hosting larger profile organisations who found its history and energy appropriate to make pertinent global decisions. its established reputation drew the attention of a right-wing terrorist which attached the island following a detonation outside the government building in oslo, which resulted in 69 youth being killed on the island, leaving the rest to swim in the cold surrounding waters for safety. 

image © are carlsen (also first image)

‘standing up for democracy, diversity and the freedom of speech can come at a high price, but violence, threats and hate can only be met by knowledge, debate and tolerance, both as individuals and as a society’

during the planning stages, blakstad haffner arkitekter thought beyond the realization of one structure and instead envisioned the project as a series of buildings that would re-create a village, a community. a new series of timber structures define a central square, a modern-day agora. the buildings with high pitched roofs provide merely a shell for a series of flexible spaces that house a kitchen, dining hall, and conference rooms capable of accommodating up to 240 people. continuous glass walls surround the square, allowing a constant visual connection between the interior and exterior. 

hegnhuset serves as a preservation of the original cafe where events took place
image © are carlsen 

not everything resulted in a new construction, however. the original cafe where the attacks began and 13 young adults lost their lives- and where many others were fortunate enough to find hiding places- was kept mostly intact to serve as a monument for those affected peoples and guests alike to visit and understand the impact of the events, to preserve an architectural memory. areas which did not contain a history on that precise day were removed to be renovated into the new hegnhuset structure. 69 wooden pillars representing each of the lives lost define the new footprint of the building which is oriented at an angle to the existing structure. 

the exterior wooden fence provides glimpses into the hegnhuset
image © are carlsen

clad in glass panels, the columns support deep timber beams that span uninterrupted the entire length of the floor plan forming a transparent box preserving the original cafe inside. just outside the outer envelope, a fence made up of slender wooden slats forms a screen wall which visually conceals the preserved cafe and serves to filter guests through a prescribed path of circulation into the building. views in and out of the structure are constant, but the entry and exit becomes clouded, requiring the commitment of exploration from visitors, a concept which represents the confusion and choices made by those inhabitants on the day of the attack. hegnhuset contains the original program in addition to a new learning center.

a series of new timber structures house gathering and conference spaces looking onto a central square
image © are carlsen

‘hegnhuset holds the story that gestalts the memory of the most brutal event in the post war history in norway. the building is not polished; it cannot be of respect of the bereaved. i built the story of those who daily carries the grief, if they are bereaved or those who survived the tragedy.’  – erlend blakstad haffner, project leader

today, the project serves its original purpose as a meeting ground for the world’s youth
image © are carlsen

image © are carlsen

using only timber construction and glass walls, the structure preserves the memory of the original cafe inside
image © are carlsen

the new building forms an envelope around the existing structure- the original concrete stairs lead ot the cafe’s entrance
image © are carlsen

the original concrete stairs are preserved as the circulation used to connect the old with the new
image © are carlsen

the main entrance introduces visitors to the original facade of the cafe
image © are carlsen

dining hall
image © are carlsen

library and gathering spaces are spread out throughout the buildings
image © are carlsen

a large and flexible space is capable of hosting gatherings
image © are carlsen

image © are carlsen

project info:

name of the project: public library of the constitution
architect: sebastian irarrázaval
collaborators: macarena burdiles, carlos pesquera, alicia arguelles, sebastián mancera.
technical inspection: joel barrera
promoters: fundación la fuente, banco itau and arauco
owner: municipality of constitución
structural engineer: cargaz
constructor: proessa
built area: 350 m2
location: constitución, chile
year of the project: 2011
year of completion: 2015
photographer: are carlsen

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