jensen & skodvin architects
norwegian wood
jensen & skodvin architects
Landscape and building are two opposing entities in essence - one being a random creation of nature, the other - man?s calculated product. Over-exploitation of nature resources on the one hand, and expansion of building areas on the other, place architecture and nature on opposite sides of the fence. In this situation, landscape architecture may serve as a mediator attempting to nurture values of nature while enriching the architectural content.
If there is one landscape that doesn?t need planning, it is the one that basks in the glory of Norway?s fjords. Hence, it is interesting to preview the work of one of Norway?s leading offices - Jensen and Skodvin Architects.
The office, decorated with prizes, was established in 1995 by Borre Skodvin (49) and Jan Olav Jensen (50) - both graduates of the Oslo School of Architecture and Design (AHO) where they now teach - Jensen is a tenured professor, and Skodvin (with an additional background of having been chief editor of Radio Nova and radio journalist) was appointed this year to head the school.
An exhibition of the firm?s works, held in 2007 in Paris and later in Strasbourg and Lisbon, afforded the partners an opportunity for a retrospective look at their development over the previous 12 years. ?We regard every project as a child, but the first one taught us how to deal with the following ones, though each differs in character, form and essence?.
The first ?child? was a road-stop along Sognefjell Road - a scenic road leading through Norway?s highest mountains. ?Our awe at intervening with nature for the first time taught us that in order to preserve the environment our work has to be detached from it?.
This principle, according to which the project is guided by nature yet categorically cut off from it, is the conceptual basis for almost all their works, which are characterized by nearly acrobatic attempts to get as close as possible to the innards of the landscape.
This sort of intervention helps Jensen & Skodvin cross the border between buildings and landscape. In Israel, however, building and landscaping are categorically separated, so that regular architects are prevented from planning landscape, while landscape architects are not qualified to plan buildings.
The following five projects presented here demonstrate the intensity of the Norwegian landscape, but no less - the beauty of the architectural naivete expressed with talent and wisdom.
Ami Ran
www.aiq.co.il
jensen & skodvin architects
Landscape and building are two opposing entities in essence - one being a random creation of nature, the other - man?s calculated product. Over-exploitation of nature resources on the one hand, and expansion of building areas on the other, place architecture and nature on opposite sides of the fence. In this situation, landscape architecture may serve as a mediator attempting to nurture values of nature while enriching the architectural content.
If there is one landscape that doesn?t need planning, it is the one that basks in the glory of Norway?s fjords. Hence, it is interesting to preview the work of one of Norway?s leading offices - Jensen and Skodvin Architects.
The office, decorated with prizes, was established in 1995 by Borre Skodvin (49) and Jan Olav Jensen (50) - both graduates of the Oslo School of Architecture and Design (AHO) where they now teach - Jensen is a tenured professor, and Skodvin (with an additional background of having been chief editor of Radio Nova and radio journalist) was appointed this year to head the school.
An exhibition of the firm?s works, held in 2007 in Paris and later in Strasbourg and Lisbon, afforded the partners an opportunity for a retrospective look at their development over the previous 12 years. ?We regard every project as a child, but the first one taught us how to deal with the following ones, though each differs in character, form and essence?.
The first ?child? was a road-stop along Sognefjell Road - a scenic road leading through Norway?s highest mountains. ?Our awe at intervening with nature for the first time taught us that in order to preserve the environment our work has to be detached from it?.
This principle, according to which the project is guided by nature yet categorically cut off from it, is the conceptual basis for almost all their works, which are characterized by nearly acrobatic attempts to get as close as possible to the innards of the landscape.
This sort of intervention helps Jensen & Skodvin cross the border between buildings and landscape. In Israel, however, building and landscaping are categorically separated, so that regular architects are prevented from planning landscape, while landscape architects are not qualified to plan buildings.
The following five projects presented here demonstrate the intensity of the Norwegian landscape, but no less - the beauty of the architectural naivete expressed with talent and wisdom.
Ami Ran
www.aiq.co.il
