Wants a joint arena for art and culture
A joint arena for art and culture in Trondheim is the vision of two architecture professors. The rector of NTNU, Torbjørn Digernes is all for it.
– We wish to create an area for art in this city, where architecture, fine art, dance and music can be come together. It will make continuity in NTNU’s presence, because it will combine St. Olavs Hospital and Samfundet with Gløshaugen, says professor and pro dean Fredrik Shetelig at the Faculty of Architecture and Fine Art (AF).
With professor Tore Haugen, he has worked out the project “Kulturarena Høyskolebakken” (Cultural Arena Høyskolebakken) that shows how the AF Faculty, Trondheim Academy of Fine Art (KiT) and the music studies can be combined between Samfundet and Gløshaugen. Vollan gård, Statsarkivet and the prison site behind Samfundet all have a part in the plans.
Depends on the ministry
– It’s an interesting concept that fits well into the campus structure. With this, we can make the art studies more visible and at the same time it will create a mutual advantage with Samfundet, says Torbjørn Digernes, rector of NTNU.
How fast this can be done is a different matter. All governmental investment decisions that cost more than 500 million kroner have to go through a so-called KS1 process «Kvalitetssikring i tidlig fase», Early quality assurance), where the project has to be quality assured and approved by extern consultants.
– Time will tell how fast it can be done. It depends on political processes, both ours and at the Ministry of Education and Research, he continues.
However, NTNU really wants a joint cultural arena.
– If we get our way, it will be carried out. It all depends on how fast, says Digernes.
Almost approved
Campus development has been a part of NTNU’s history for a long time. For some years now, there has been a full debate on combining Gløshaugen and Dragvoll, and the lack of space in the reading rooms and functional office space. NTNU is now working on need and strategic analyses for campus development with the Ministry of Education, and they are going to discuss different solutions for campus.
– We have worked out three alternative campus scenarios. All of the alternatives include AF, KiT and the different music studies to be placed in Høyskolebakken, says Inge Frottland, project manager at the Rector’s office at NTNU.
Because of this, it seems like the “Kulturarena Høyskolebakken” project is nearly approved.
– We can’t guarantee anything. It’s up to the Ministry and Stortinget (Norwegian parliament). If the project is realized, NTNU will have to depend on an approval from the local authorities in Trondheim. Up till now it’s been presented to the municipality, but has not yet been discussed.
- A desirable neighbor
Øyvind Aass, leader of the prison site project, would like to get the university as Samfundet’s next-door neighbor.
– The AF faculty and NTNU is a desirable and interesting neighbor for us. A great collaboration can be made by gathering the faculties in one place, Aass says.
He thinks the campus project has a lot of potential.
– From an artistic point of view this will be a great opportunity to get more space to practice, have concerts and a lot of other things that we all can benefit from. A creative environment aside Samfundet is more than welcome.
That the cultural arena is a part of NTNU’s plans doesn’t surprise Aass.
– Ever since the 60’s there have been plans of a construction at the prison site. And since the prison site is the site most ready to be built on as well, there is no wonder that NTNU is interested. The question is if they want to build for the students, or just to make sure they get a nice property, he says.
What Aass asks of NTNU is that they find the money that is needed to realize the plans. He thinks it should be possible to earmark 25 million kroner for a new building for Samfundet in a budget of several hundreds of millions.
– Even though NTNU has to apply to the Ministry for funding, it shouldn’t be impossible to realize this project. Something similar to this is the new student center in Bergen, which got funding from the Ministry, he says.
Translated by Maria Kråkmo
