Čoarvemátta nominated for the Northern Norwegian Architecture Prize

Čoarvemátta, the new shared facility for the Sámi National Theater Beaivváš, the Sámi High School, and the Reindeer Herding School in Guovdageaidnu / Kautokeino, has been nominated for the Northern Norwegian Architecture Prize (Nordnorsk arkitekturpris). The prize, organized by Nord-Norges Arkitektforening, celebrates outstanding architecture in Northern Norway and highlights projects that combine cultural significance with innovative design.

Designed by 70°N arkitektur, Snøhetta and Joar Nango, Čoarvemátta draws inspiration from traditional Sámi building traditions and handicraft. 

The award ceremony will take place on 28 November 2025 at Rødbanken in Tromsø.

Čoarvemátta nominated for the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award

We are proud and happy to share that our project Čoarvemátta is nominated for the biannual European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award!

As a shared facility for two key Sámi institutions: Beaivváš Sámi Našunála Teáhter & Sámi joatkkaskuvla ja boazodoalloskuvla // The Sámi National Theater Beaivváš and the Sámi High School and Reindeer Herding School, Čoarvemátta is situated on Norway’s northernmost plateau. The building is a tribute to Sámi heritage, designed to foster community, creativity, and continuity of indigenous knowledge and traditions.

The EUmies Award is one of the most prestigious architecture prizes in Europe. It celebrates excellence in architectural works built across the continent and highlights how quality architecture contributes to sustainable development and the well-being of citizens.

Čoarvemátta opened August last year, and was developed through collaboration between 70°N arkitektur, Snøhetta, Joar Nango and the entrepreneur Econor for Beaivváš Theatre, Sámi High School and Reindeer Herding School and Statsbygg, with public art project by KORO.

"Stilla - en forestilling" i Tromsø

 "Stilla – en forestilling" er en musikk- og samtaleforestilling om økosorg, stedstap og sivil ulydighet.

Forestillinga vises i kafe Rotunden på Norges arktiske universitetsmuseum onsdag 29. oktober: 

kl. 16: https://uit.no/tavla/artikkel/912164/stilla_-_en_forestilling_arr_noor_produksjoner

og kl 19: https://uit.no/tavla/artikkel/912165/stilla_-_en_forestilling_arr_noor_produksjoner 

Den vil også spilles torsdag 30. oktober kl 19 i Håkøybotn og lørdag 1. november kl 19 på Malangseidet

Mere info under og hos: NOOR produksjoner

I oktober kommer forestillingen "Stilla - en forestilling" hjem til Tromsø.

Da skal vi spille i byen, men vi besøker også steder i nærområdet som står under press fra utbyggere og storkapital.

Det blir lokale gjester i alle forestillinger og servering av kaffe.

"Stilla - en forestilling" er en musikk og samtaleforestilling om økosorg, stedstap og sivil ulydighet. Med utgangspunkt i det som skjer på stedet vi besøker spør vi:

Hva er umistelig for deg? Hva ville du lenket deg fast til for å ikke gi slipp på?

"Stilla - en forestilling" hadde premiere på Festspillene i Nord-Norge, juni 2025, og har siden turnert i Trøndelag og i Finnmark. Den har spilt for fulle hus og har høstet gode kritikker.

Forestillingen er laget av teamet i samarbeid med dramatiker og dramaturg Tale Næss. Medvirkende er Ivar Beddari, Trond Peter Stamsø Munch og Bernt Bjørn og vår eminente produsent er Vegard Krane.

Forestillingen er produsert av NOOR produksjoner i samarbeid med Ferske Scener. Produksjon og turné er støttet av Fritt Ord, Barents Sekretariatet, Norsk Kulturfond, FFUK, Fond for Lyd og Bilde, Tromsø Kommune, Åarjelhsaemien Teatere og Scenekunstbruket. Den er produsert med støtte fra Rådstua Teaterhus og Small Projects.

Vi vil også spesielt takke vår visuelle konsulent Magdalena Haggärde samt Espen Mauno og Kristina Junttila for uvurdelige bidrag inn i arbeidet.

Billettene koster kr 210,-.
For studenter og pensjonister er prisen 140,-.
Billetter finner dere her:

Tromsø museum 29/10 kl 16

Tromsø museum 29/10 kl 19

Håkøybotn 30/10 kl 19

Malangseidet 1/11 kl 19

Spørsmål om eventuelle forhåndsbestillinger av billetter og mer kan rettes til tpsm@online.no.

HJERTELIG VELKOMMEN!

Harstad, juni 2025, foto: Magdalena Haggärde

Kautokeino, september 2025, foto: Magdalena Haggärde

KÁRTA // (counter) mapping the inalienable: eco-grief, care & connection

 

KÁRTA is multi-voiced counter-map – mot-kart – about loss of place, ecological care and inalienable landscapes.
Kárta is developed by Magdalena Haggärde, 70°N arkitektur, in collaboration with Noor produksjoner and website development by Isak Gustavsen.

Share your inalienable place / del ditt umistelige sted: KÁRTA
Follow KÁRTA on instagram @karta_stilla

Kárta challenges conventional narratives about land use, development, and resource extraction through a hybrid mapping approach that balances traditional cartography with artistic counter-mapping methods.

Kárta is both an independent artistic installation and a companion to the performance "Stilla - en forestilling", (Stilla – a performance / Stilla – a notion, as a double entendre) expanding the conversations that begin in the performance space.

Kárta workshop after the performance at Čoarvemátta, Guovdageaidnu, September 12 2025, photo: Magdalena HaggärdeContributions from the workshops in Harstad (June 2025), Kirkenes, Deanušaldi / Tana bru and Guovdageaidnu / Kautokeino (September 2025) – all included in the web map KÁRTA

Tromsø Waterfront Laboratory in “Landscape Architecture Europe #7 - Full of Life”

Excited and honoured that our participative art and urban space work Tromsø sjøfrontlab – in collaboration with Berit Steenstrup & Statex – is one of the selected projects for “Landscape Architecture Europe #7 - Full of Life”. 

In addition to the project presentation, the essay «Transitory Beauties – Debunk & Design» by Anaïs Leger-Smith beautifully contextualizes our approaches and explorations through Tromsø Waterfront Laboratory together with other «projects that are in between design and research, reflection and prospection, thinking and doing, performative projects, experiments, tactics – addressing the dynamic and the unstable, the heterogenic and the contradictory”:

About «Landscape Architecture Europe #7»:

“This seventh edition of the triennial book series Landscape Architecture Europe presents landscape architecture as an activity in support of life and its inherent beauty. Despite these times of social and ecological stress, this volume demonstrates how spatial design and beauty can communicate and enact concern, commitment, collaboration and change.

 

Landscape Architecture Europe #7 features 42 projects full of life, built or drawn, long-term or temporary, selected from entries submitted from all over Europe. Together with thought-provoking essays and inspiring portraits, this richly illustrated publication shows how to design for diversity and how to work with surprise and uncertainty.»

Available at:

https://www.scapemagazine.com/lae/

Photo by: Ingun Alette Mæhlum

Čoarvemátta nominated

Čoarvemátta is one of five nominees for the Norwegian Building of the Year Prize, which will be awarded on April 3rd.

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This ambitious project was developed in collaboration between Joar Nango, Snøhetta and 70°N arkitektur together with the entrepreneur Econor, for Sámi National Theatre Beaivváš & Sámi High School and Reindeer Herding School, Statsbygg and KORO.

ART + LARCH: "landscape activism through architectural practice; situated knowledge and hermeneutical understanding"

ART + LARCH Talk with Gisle Løkken Monday March 17 at 15:15-17:00 in the Black Box at the Art Academy (Grønnegata 1). The lecture is open for all, welcome!

"landscape activism through architectural practice; situated knowledge and hermeneutical understanding"

Cases: Čoarvemátta – New Sámi National Theatre & Sámi High School and Reindeer Herding School in Guovdageaidnu; Tromsø Waterfront Lab / Sørsjeteen; Ellos Rávdnjemuotki / Bevar Finnheia / Save Finnheia

Gisle Løkken is founding partner and architect at 70°N arkitektur and PhD candidate at the Department of Architecture and Planning, NTNU – with interest in the social and ecological dimensions of architecture, and the conflicting conditions for spatial production between a hegemonic neoliberal political-economic system and a paradigm of existential crises.

Čoarvemátta nominated for ArchDaily 2025 Building of the Year Awards

Čoarvemátta Cultural and Educational Hub has been nominated for the ArchDaily 2025 Building of the Year Awards in two categories:

Cultural Architecture: https://boty.archdaily.com/us/2025/candidates/176503/

Educational Architecture: https://boty.archdaily.com/us/2025/candidates/176504/

Voting for the awards is open until February 12.

Čoarvemátta opening day

Reminiscing the extraordinary experience it was being part of the opening of Čoarvemátta – the building housing the Sámi National Theatre Beaivváš & Sámi High School and Reindeer Herding School / Beaivváš Sámi Našunála Teáhter & Sami joatkkaskuvla ja boazodoalloskuvla.

From its very first day Čoarvemátta proved to be truly “the house of magic and knowledge” as expressed by the theatre director Rolf Degerlund.

We have still barely landed after the opening ceremony back in August:
The ambience, the strong and touching speeches, the fantastic concert-performance, the food by the arctic gastronomy students, the truly amazing art and duodji – and of course the people, many of whom have worked for years for the realization of this building.

Some highlights from the day:
Welcoming by Sara Ellen Anne Eira representing the school and Rolf Degerlund the theatre.
Official opening by Silje Karine Muotka, President of the Sámi Parliament
Compères: Marte Fjellheim Sarre & Inger Marie Nilut
Symphony performance “Beaivi áhčážan. Eanni eadnážan / The Sun, my Father. The Earth, my Mother.” by Arktisk Filharmoni & Beaivváš theatre based on poems by Áillohaš, Nils-Aslak Valkeapää
Composer and music supervision: Frode Fjellheim
Conductor: Anna F. Hartmann
Director: Rolf Degerlund
Choreography: Marte Fjellheim Sarre
Text selection and translation: Rawdna Carita Eira
Soloists: Ulla Pirttijärvi Länsman & Adrian Angelico
Actors / yoikers: Egil Keskitalo, Mary Sarre, Iŋgor Ántte Áilu Gaup, Nils Henrik Buljo
Light: Øystein Heitmann
Sound: David Solheim
Grand drape: Máret Anne Sara
Sámi anthem Sámi eatnan duoddariid by Áillohaš sung in unison summed up the heartwarming and soul lifting experience Ollu giitu!
Architecture team: Snøhetta, Joar Nango & 70°N arkitektur
Photo: 70°N arkitektur

Experimental Artistic Approaches to Citizen Involvement in Planning

 

Gisle Løkken writes about Tromsø Waterfront Lab and its context in the article "Experimental Artistic Approaches to Citizen Involvement in Planning: Actors in Networks and Power Relations" published in Nordic Journal of Architectural Research vol 34, nr 2, 2022

The art project for Čoarvemátta

The art project for Čoarvemátta – the Sámi High School and the Sámi National Theatre Beaivváš in Guovdageaidnu / Kautokeino, takes as its point of departure art which is deeply rooted in the Sámi world perspective and in traditional knowledge.

The Sámi National Theatre Beaivváš presents stories and theatre performances from a Sámi world perspective, while the Sámi High School and Reindeer Husbandry School provides tuition in traditional knowledge, culture and language to Sámi youth. The overarching curatorial approach for the art project is based on two concepts or values that are both fundamental and deeply rooted in Sámi cultural understanding: vuoiŋŋalašvuohta, Sámi spirituality, and árbemáhttu, traditional knowledge.
Particular emphasis is placed on the representation of different geographical areas within Sápmi and selected artists that work with diverse approaches to traditional knowledge and spirituality - and to demonstrate the range and boundary-breaking aspects of Sámi art, from traditional duodji (Sámi handicrafts) to conceptual contemporary art.
 
It has been an honour and pleasure to work with the curators, the artists and duojárat and KORO / Public Art Norway – thanks for a great collaboration and congratulations to you all!

Artists and duojárat:
Rámavuol Elle Bigge - Sáráhkká, Juoksáhkká ja Uksáhkká - in collaboration with Merethe Ella Márjá Kuhmunen 
Fredrik Prost - Máttaráddjá, Meantaš and Beaivvi nieida / The bear, the reindeer stag and the daughter of the sun 
Britta Marakatt-Labba - Miin Duoddarat / Our plains
Elle Valkeapää - Šiella
Máret Ánne Sara - Gapmu
Laila Mari Brandsfjell (coming in 2025)
Iver Jåks - Beaivi ja biegga / Sun and Wind (1996)
Aage Gaup - Girdinoaiddi loddi / Bird of the Flying Shaman (1988)

Curators:
Monica Milch Gebhardt with Anniina Turunen and Joar Nango 
 
Production of the grand drape: Big Image