Oslo of yore

[Galro]

I found this picture from 2003, so it have apparently lost details that recently!!!!!!

[joamox]

The construction of the city hall was the single most important development in Oslo in the 1930s, in a period of a relatively intense building boom that stamped the new style of modern functionalism on all parts of the city centre.

(1935)

Construction began in February 1933 and the building was topped out by November 1936. The scaffolding was mostly down by 1940. However, The building was not ready for use before 1950, when it was officially inaugurated.


(1935)

The project began in the 1910's and was originally conceived on the same model as the city halls of Copenhagen and Stockholm, particularly the latter. The architects of those previous buildings were on the jury that picked the winning proposal in 1918. The Stockholm city hall is still considered one of the best examples of nordic neo-baroque, one of the first self-conscious Scandinavian attempts at indigenous design. The style valued structural integrity, ie the use of exposed brick, and saw to local medieval and renaissance structures for inspiration.



However, the chosen architects (Arneberg & Poulssen) may have judged their own proposal to have been too conventional. They immediately started to revise the plans and update the design.



Subsequent designs touched on a number of historicist themes, and was also briefly influenced by the classicist movement of the 1920s.



By the start of the 1930s, functionalism became the dominant style in Oslo, and the city hall has occasionally been interpreted as belonging to that style. However, though streamlined in certain respects, the finished product retains the overall historicist theme.

A possible functionalist precedent is the Hilversum city hall, by Dudok, which gives an example of a less ambigious functionalism.



The facade that faces the sea takes the Doge’s palace in Venice, as the main source of inspiration, though this is more evident in earlier designs. As such, it follows the tradition of the two earlier city halls in drawing from Italian examples. Italy has one of the longest traditions in Europe of civic representation, and had developed a well established format for city hall architecture by the renaissance period.



However, this is also where the building fails the most dramatically. The seafront appears like the back of the building, with little apparent care given to how the facade presents the city from the fjord, which was the whole point of placing the city hall in Vika in the first place.



To place the statute, the main ornament, asymmetrically is also an odd decision, and has little convincing effect.



The northern facade may have been inspired by medieval cathedrals, which gives shape to the massive twin towers. The entrance is more ornamental on this side and features an ornate clock, in constrast to the cheaply designed equivalent on the eastern tower, facing south.

(1950?)

A busy thoroughfare existed in front of the southern facade until the late 1980s when the entire area was pedestrianised.



The gigantic square is a little bit large for its own good, but relatively popular due to the access to the sea.

Overall the building grows on you, and the people of Oslo have largely learnt to appreciate it. However, unlike Stockholm and Hilversum, the structure has never been considered a great success, nor a defining moment in the history of architecture, not even on a regional scale. Despite the striking form of the structure, the city hall is an anomaly, the last gasp of of historicism, and of little notice to world architecture.

[joamox]

Neither of the two other buildings facing city hall square were built by the same architects as the city hall (Arneberg & Poulssen), but the design is similar and was subject to the overall design concept determined by the city hall architects.



(1937-38)

Hieronymus Heyerdahl gt 1 was completed in 1936 by architects Torp & Torp.



Tordenskiolds gt 12 was completed in the following year. The architect was F S Platou. The latter plot did not require the demolishing of any older buildings, as the site has been Tordenskiolds plass thitherto.



Construction of both buildings began after the city hall, but were completed more or less within one year each.

[mjoks007]

It such a shame with those two brick buildings. The city hall would appear much nicer with something different looking buildings besides it. Any idea if they are protected?

[joamox]

Originally named Sirkeplassen, which more or less translates to the Circus, Fridtjof Nansens plass is the circular space north of city hall.
All the facades were subject to specific design principles, again determined by the city hall architects. In fact, the style is so consistent, it appears to be just one massive facade,



However, Fridtjof Nansens plass consists of several individual buildings, built by private contractors, each of which hired seperate architects. Fridtjof Nansens plass 6, seen above was built between 1936 and 1937.


(1937)

Across the street, nr 5 was built to full height by early 1937, but became the subject of a construction scandal when it collapsed on the 20th of March. The incident happened outside of work hours, and there were no casualties, no construction workers hurt.



However, construction was quickly resumed and the finished product was ready very rapidly, by 1938.



Fridtjof Nansens Plass nr 4, 3, 2 and 1 which completed the western part of the circle, were finished in 1940.



Nr 8 (here under construction) and 9 were both finished in 1939. The gap seen above (nr 7) was not filled until 1949.

[joamox]

The last building to be part of the overall design scheme of the city hall and surrounding buildings is Kronprinsesse Märthas plass 1.



It was completed in 1940, by architects Norrgren and Berg.



The square was given its current name in 1955. The original name was Solplassen. Märtha, of course, was never queen since she died before Olav V ascended the throne.

[Galro]

Originally Posted by mjoks007

It such a shame with those two brick buildings. The city hall would appear much nicer with something different looking buildings besides it. Any idea if they are protected?

I would be very surprised if they aren't protected. Almost everything funkis is being protected by default and these also happens to be part one of the largest re-development schemes in cities history ... Such a shame seeing all the hideous shit that we are protecting. I at least wished we (as in the public) we allowed to have a say in the matter. This is after all supposed to be a democracy.

[Galro]

Originally Posted by joamox

Overall the building grows on you, and the people of Oslo have largely learnt to appreciate it. However, unlike Stockholm and Hilversum, the structure has never been considered a great success, nor a defining moment in the history of architecture, not even on a regional scale. Despite the striking form of the structure, the city hall is an anomaly, the last gasp of of historicism, and of little notice to world architecture.

I'm a little bit surprised by your praise for the Stockholm city hall. It does look rather neat from far away and as a object on the skyline due to it slim tower appearance, but up close then the out propositions gold details makes it appears rather tasteless and reminds me more of the elder brother to the tower thing built in Mecca than anything else. It could be all means have been worse (it could have looked like the Tynset city hall with the elk on the roof for example) but I wouldn't call it the definition of success either.

[joamox]

Aerials from the 1930s


(1932)

Demolition of the old Vika began in mid-1931, and initially concerned sections of Bakkegt, Mellemgt, Strandgt, and Vinkelgangen. The foundation stone for the city hall was laid in september of 1931, at which point enough space had been cleared for the construction to commence. The picture above is dated to 1932. The area has been flattened, and a few of the new functionalist buldings along Stortingsgt have already been completed.


(1935)

The next image jumps to 1935. The structure is already topped out and the first buildings along Sjøgt have been demolished, to make way for Hieronymus Heyerdahl gt 1 (Torp & Torp), site being prepped. Only two buildings still stand east of Bryggegangen. The construction of the Thorsted building can be seen in the top left.


(1936)

The Torp & Torp is yet to be topped out, but site preparation for Tordenskiolds gt 12 (FS Platou) has started. That means goodbye to Tordenskiolds Plass. Thorsted still under construction.


(1937)

Both the boxes were complete in 1937, and the last two buildings along Sjøgt east of Bryggegangen have been demolished as well. On Sirkelplassen, only nr 6 is finished. The site of the collapsed nr 5 has been cleared. Pretty much all of tivoli is demolished at this point, and Thorsted is complete.


(1938)

By 1938, almost all of Sjøgangen had been demolished, along with the rest of Bakkegaten (east of skolestrædet), Mellemgt and Strandgt. Sirkeplassen nr 5 has been rebuilt, and both the Chat Noir and the Klingenberg buildings are complete or near completion. They have started taking down some of the scaffolding on the city hall.


(1938)

Still 1938, scaffolding has been taken down, and the city hall is externally complete, though ornaments have not been erected.


(1939)

More construction at Klingenberggt has begun, with the building that would become Vika Postkontor. Sirkelplassen still under construction


(1950)

1950, with the exception of the white building facing Tordenskiolds gt, which would come very soon after, the whole structure surrounding city hall has been completed. Almost all of this was completed just before the German invasion.

[aarhusforever]

So much great and interesting info Thank you

[Galro]

I put your picture (joamox) together with the one from Oslobilder.no to show this (yet) another example of a brutal simplifying:


Shown here before a few times but not together like this (I think at least).

[Mulefisk]

Great updates Joamox!

Originally Posted by Galro

I would be very surprised if they aren't protected. Almost everything funkis is being protected by default and these also happens to be part one of the largest re-development schemes in cities history ... Such a shame seeing all the hideous shit that we are protecting. I at least wished we (as in the public) we allowed to have a say in the matter. This is after all supposed to be a democracy.

Haha this is literally the whiniest post.

[Galro]

Originally Posted by Mulefisk

Haha this is literally the whiniest post.

Guess you haven't seen my other posts then!

Another before and now. This time with a picture taken by myself.

[joamox]

Sorry, the tilt bugged me



But this is an example of what we want to see

[Hafnia]

The city hall looks good - at least from distance - in the old days surrounded by the dense Vika.
Interesting know-how thread, never been in it before.

[Galro]

I wish they had kept the row in front. It looks somewhat similar to the Týn Church in Prague with the lower houses in front, and I love that look!

http://www.pbase.com/image/108683174

I also think this angle is the city halls most problematic (=ugliest) today.

[Galro]

Is it just me or does the city looks a lot more denser from here than it does now from this angle?

[virgule82]

That area really hasn't changed much. Try using google earth to get the same angle with 3D-buildings, you'll see that almost all the buildings are the same. But you're right that that area doesn't feel as dense as thea when you're walking around.

[Galro]

Yes, I know that it hasn't changed much (with the exception of the Engelske Kvarter should be rebuilt asap imho!). But I still think it looks much, much denser there than now. Perhaps it's the black and white that does it?

[Galro]

I've put together a few before and now pictures using Finn gatebilder. It's so sad seeing all that great architecture that's lost.