Yesterday, the weather was so great here, I went for a walk around a nearby university campus that has a great park with a pond (now frozen!) and a nice mixture of buildings from different periods. The one that always catches my eye is this one, the Auditorium Maximum, by architect Leif Olav Moen. It was the winner of a competition for a new auditorium and assembly hall. Construction started in 1969 and it opened officially in 1970. I find it a typical example of late modernism, there's a bit of brutalism as well as structuralism going on. One of the things I love about it is that although it seems uncompromising at first glance, great conciderations has been taken to the shape and character of the landscape. There's a strong connection between the two. I love architecture that showcases the structural elements like this, in that way great expression is achieved without excess elements. I guess this is why my all time favorite is Mies van der Rohe, he turned construction into poetry.
In front of the building is a great piece of art by norwegian artist Carl Nesjar, who represents the experimental modernist tradition. He has achieved great fame internationally for his collaborations with Picasso. The duo worked together both in Spain and in Norway, and as a result, we have a few great sculptures here. This one, however, Nesjar did on his own. he had a strong technical interest, and experimented with freezing and cooling techniques that would make his steel sculptures change with the seasons. This sculpture originally sprayed water, gas and mist. I've never seen it "in action", it might not be working anymore. I've seen photos of it all covered in ice, it's quite spectacular.
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