The building and architecture
When Huset Aukrust opened on 23 May 1996, Kjell Aukrust’s universe gained a truly special setting. The building itself is an architectural landmark in Innlandet, designed to blend with nature, the valley and the stories it holds.
Materials from the valley
Huset Aukrust was designed by the architect Sverre Fehn and is one of his most celebrated buildings. Architecture students from around the world often come to experience the building’s architectural expression and use of materials.
The architect drew inspiration for the building from his journey through the valley and the local landscape in Alvdal. He described his encounter with the place as follows:
“The road led through the forests of Østerdalen – with the morning light filtering between the pine trunks, the river Glomma flowing gently through the soft valley landscape, the water forming clear, mirror-like surfaces over the still sandbanks, and the stone walls around the churchyards. By the journey’s end, he had found his materials: stones for the dry-stone walls, sand for the structural concrete elements and the polished concrete floor, and pine from which all the woodwork is fashioned. Between all these, glass stretches like a transparent skin.”
A building in harmony with nature
The building stretches along an elongated axis in the landscape near Tronfjell. With its clean lines, extensive use of wood and slate, and long expanses of glass, it brings nature and light right into the exhibition spaces.
The design responds to its surroundings in Alvdal, bringing simple, natural materials together with large, open spaces. The building feels like a natural extension of the surrounding landscape, while showcasing Kjell Aukrust’s drawings, paintings and inventions.
The entrance is at the “back” of the building, and the slate-covered sloping roof makes it feel as though you are entering through the roof. Inside, the architecture offers a striking contrast: Sverre Fehn’s restrained, understated and poetic lines meet Kjell Aukrust’s wildly imaginative, colourful and richly detailed world. Walking through the building is a journey in itself, with the rooms gently leading you from one story to the next.
The architect Sverre Fehn (1924–2009)
Sverre Fehn is considered one of Norway’s greatest architects of all time and earned widespread international recognition for his work. In 1997, Fehn received the Pritzker Architecture Prize, a highly prestigious award in architecture, on a par with the Nobel Prize.
A master of light and wood
Fehn’s architecture is characterised by a unique ability to combine a modernist architectural language with traditional Norwegian materials such as wood, stone and concrete. He was particularly interested in how Nordic light shapes a space. The collaboration between architect Sverre Fehn and artist Kjell Aukrust resulted in a building that both celebrates cultural heritage and stands firmly as a modern masterpiece.
Notable buildings
In addition to Huset Aukrust, Fehn designed several notable buildings in Norway and abroad, including Den norske paviljongen in Venice, Norsk Bremuseum in Fjærland, Ivar Aasen-tunet in Volda and Hedmarksmuseet (Domkirkeodden) in Hamar, as well as the renovation of Colosseum cinema in Oslo.
Learn more about the building
Want to know more about how the idea for Huset Aukrust became a reality? We recommend the book “Huset Aukrust 25 år”, which explores the creation of the building through texts by Lars Espen Aukrust, Harald Stanghelle and Øivind Storm Bjerke.
Buy the book about Huset Aukrust.
Experience the architecture up close
Whether you come to see Reodor Felgen’s inventions or to study the details of Sverre Fehn’s architecture, we warmly welcome you to a unique experience in Alvdal.