The Sámi National Theater Beaivváš and Sámi High School and Reindeer Husbandry School are two important cultural institutions of Sápmi, a region in northern Norway, Sweden, and Finland traditionally inhabited by the Sámi people. To strengthen the position of the two institutions, a project was initiated in 2020 to create a shared cultural and educational facility.

In June 2021, Snøhetta, in collaboration with Econor, 70°N arkitektur, and artist and architect Joar Nango were the winners in an international competition for the New Sámi National Theater and Sámi High School and Reindeer Husbandry School (Sámi joatkkaskuvla ja boazodoalloskuvla og Beaivváš Sámi Našunálateáhter).

The building, also known as Čoarvemátta, broke ground built five months ago and is expected to be completed by 2024.  Located on the outskirts of central Kautokeino, a municipality considered the centre of Sámi culture, Norway, the new facility will be dedicated to reindeer husbandry, duodji, culture, art and storytelling.

Recently, the Norwegian architectural office Snøhetta has also unveiled “The Lantern,” a maritime centre on the coast of Esbjerg, Denmark. The wooden structure is conceived as a gathering space for watersports clubs and other visitors to the harbor, providing the coastal town with a maritime social hub. The architecture studio has also revitalized a skyscraper, the AT&T building, at 550 Madison Avenue New york.
The area also hosts the Sámi University College, the Nordic Sámi Institute, and the Sámi Parliament of Norway. The indigenous people of Sámi are Finno-Ugric-speaking people inhabiting the area they call Sápmi. The total population is estimated at 80,000 people, and they are considered the descendants of the nomadic peoples who had inhabited northern Scandinavia for thousands of years.

The new facility designed by the Snøhetta team is dedicated to reindeer husbandry, an important practice in the Sámi way of life, but also to culture, art, storytelling, and duodji, or traditional Sámi handicraft. Gathering all functions under a generous roof and creating robust and spacious rooms, the architects want to create synergies between the users, the theatre, and the school, while also nurturing a relationship between architecture and landscape. The concept of the project is to interpret Sámi architecture with references from crafts, materials and nature. The building’s curved lines and materiality will make it a natural part of the surrounding landscape, avoiding sharp angles breaking with the landscape’s natural shapes.

The curved lines and the chosen materiality help integrate the building seamlessly into the surrounding landscape. A central vestibule creates an intuitive meeting point for all users, creating a space for activities such as duodji, cooking, or theatre plays. Curved lines and exposed wooden beams contribute to the inviting atmosphere, while a skylight inspired by the lavvu’s traditional architecture brings in natural light. From the vestibule, the building stretches into three directions, creating a visual identity for the various functions it houses while also connecting them to the landscape.

The shape of the building was created for a variety of uses inside and outside, tailored to the institutions’ needs. To the South-West side, the building opens to an inviting main entrance and forecourt. Circular meeting zones are designed around the institution to create a soft transition to the terrain. Spaces for activities are also visible and accessible to the visitors entering the building.
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Architects
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Project team
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Econor, 70°N arkitektur and Joar Nango.
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Client
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Statsbygg, The Norwegian Governmental Building Agency .
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Area
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6,900 m².
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Dates
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2020-2021-2024.
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Venue / Localitation
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Kautokeino/Guovdageaidnu, Norway.
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Snøhetta is an integrated architecture, landscape, and interior design company based in Oslo, Norway, and New York City, formed in 1989 and led by principals Craig Dykers and Kjetil Thorsen. The firm, founded in 1989, which is named after one of Norway's highest mountain peaks, has approximately 100 staff members working on projects around the world. The practice pursues a collaborative, transdisciplinary approach, with people from multiple professions working together to explore diverse perspectives on each project.

Snøhetta has completed several critically acclaimed cultural projects, including the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Egypt; the National Opera and Ballet in Oslo, Norway; and the Lillehammer Art Museum in Norway. Current projects include the National September 11 Memorial Museum Pavilion at the World Trade Center site in New York.

In 2004 Snøhetta received the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, and in 2009 the firm was honored with the Mies van der Rohe Award. Snøhetta is the only company to have twice won the World Architecture Award for best cultural building, in 2002 for the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and in 2008 for the National Opera and Ballet in Oslo.

Snøhetta

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Published on: February 11, 2023
Cite: "Snøhetta is rising Čoarvemátta building to strengthen the culture and art of indigenous Sami people" METALOCUS. Accessed
<https://www.metalocus.es/en/news/snohetta-rising-coarvematta-building-strengthen-culture-and-art-indigenous-sami-people> ISSN 1139-6415
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