With its fjords, mountains, and long
coastline, Norway is known as a land of
seemingly untouched natural beauty,
characterized by vast climatic and
topographical variations. Throughout the
country’s history, humans have made this
landscape their own: they cultivated the land
and harvested its resources, sought climatic
protection, and created environments fitted
for community life. They cleared nature to
ensure livelihood and the development of
social spaces.
Implicit in this is the fact that, to varying
degrees, they have also destroyed and
transformed nature. Norwegian nature
is now being built over at a pace that is
unsustainable, both for humans and for
other living things that grow and thrive here.
In our time, the work of creating good
social spaces must begin with the principle
that it should be done without destroying
our common, life supporting environment.
Cultivated landscape tells the story of
how one can interact as an architect in
Norwegian landscapes: in the mountains, by
the fjords, along the coast, and in its villages
and cities.
Various case studies, texts, and essays
showcase the broad spectrum of cultivated
landscapes found in 3RW’s explorative and
creative work over the past 25 years.