Schedule

Friday 02.05

Saturday Sunday

12.00 - 13.30

  • Join us for a guided city tour through the streets of Oslo, highlighting some of the most beautiful buildings and public spaces the city has to offer. The tour will be lead by our knowledgeable student of Architecture at NTNU: Jakob Hegna Gundersen.

    Detailed program to be announced.

14.00 - 14.40

  • Come see our collection of contemporary classical design and craftmanship, curated and exhibited by our conference committee. The exhibition will be open the entire weekend.

  • Much as reading literacy does not require the complete knowledge of a language's literature, architectural literacy does not require the full knowledge of architectural precedent. With fewer “letters” than reading literacy, and more intuitive than musical notation, being architecturally literate opens the door to "reading" the built world yourself.

    Architectural literacy empowers you to engage in the urban dialog in a way that enables participants to propose forms that people intuitively understand. It is a key to breaking out of visual poverty, participatory nimbyism, deadlock, and sidelining. It enables the lay citizen to engage in the fundamental thinking required to realize important civic goals.

15.00 - 15.40

  • To be announced.

  • Formal Architectural Education starts in Spain in 1752, after the creation of the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando by King Fernando VI. The Academy took over the duties of the medieval master builder guilds and set up new ways of training the future architects inspired mostly by the French Académie Royale d’Architecture, founded in 1671 by king Louis XIV. After the death of Fernando VII in 1833, the last absolutist Monarch in Spain, the kingdom would see a series of radical changes that would transform the absolute monarchy into a Constitutional one. As part of those changes, and as a result of the overwhelming activity of the Real Academia, a new School of Architecture was segregated from it in 1844. The Plan of Studies was changed several times in an attempt to update the curriculum and also protect the legal status of the architects and urbanists as separate from engineers. The sequence of plans from 1844 to 1956 are a great example to understand how Spanish students learnt the basis of classical and traditional architecture up until the time when Modernism took over in Architectural education. 

16.00 - 16.40

  • Surprisingly little is known about our recent educational history into northern european traditional architecture education. In this talk we reveal practical facts about how the schools were like - as seen from the perspective of the students and staff inside the school. We are looking at their ways of studying, their expected courses and the way the education was organized - taking a very practical bottom up approach. The talk is based on some very recent new discoveries of drawing books and notebooks from the old school, giving us a direct insight into the teaching practices of pre-modernist education.

  • To be announced.

17.00 - 18.00

  • Too be announced.

Drinks at Håndverkeren

Saturday 03.05

10.00 - 11.00

  • All classical architecture is traditional. It may resemble architecture of the past, but it is not the past. It is not history. Any new classical architecture is, unavoidably, part of the society for which it is designed. If it is understood and accepted by that society, it will be part of the identity of the society and will be a tradition.

    Once classical architecture is understood as a tradition, it can be understood according to the nature of tradition. Traditions permeate all aspects of our lives as social creatures; they are fundamental to the coherence of society and family.

    Traditions always have an identifiable past. They can be invented but even inventions must fabricate a believable past to be accepted.  But traditions are not static. Unlike history, into which classical architecture is often said to regress, traditions are not fixed or factual, but evolutionary and progressive.

    If we view classical architecture in this context and examine its own history, which is clearly a history of change, we can be confident that classical architecture is always modern; that is modern in the proper historical sense, as a contrary to ‘modernism’ which falsely lays claim to the inevitable condition of modernity.

    This understanding is both an encouragement to classical architects and a counter to their critics.

  • Building upon last year’s exploration of ornament and its impact on the human brain, this presentation explores architecture’s forgotten language of beauty by charting ornament’s historical evolution and systematic typologies. From the intricate carvings of ancient temples to the refined geometries of Renaissance facades and the bold expressions of Art Nouveau, ornament has been an ever-present part of architectural design.

    This presentation offers a framework for understanding ornament’s multifaceted role across cultures and eras. It highlights how its form, function, and meaning have shifted in response to social, technological, and philosophical trends – including its rejection in modernist paradigms. As we trace the narrative of ornament from its origins to ongoing reinterpretations, we seek to reclaim this lost art. The resurgence of using intricate patterns and fractal-like qualities in contemporary architectural practice will be investigated from its aesthetic effect on human health and well-being.

    Ultimately, we reaffirm the enduring importance of ornamentation by presenting it not as a vestige of the past. Rather, it is a dynamic evolving language of beauty that continues to enrich architectural expression and human experience.

11.30 - 12.30

  • In this talk, Sebastian will share thoughts about beauty, concepts philosophy, architectural theory creativity. Very much from the world of the spirit. How do you bring this into the built, material world? There are many materials to master. Glass, stone, wood, clay, metal, concrete. I will talk about lime, plaster, sand, cement and metal and how you can bring these materials together to create wonderful things. Columns, arches, cornices, ornaments, vaults, coloured plaster, surface textures. People have been designing stucco for 3000 years and there is no end in sight. My profession is diverse and offers seemingly endless possibilities. I would like to share some of these for your imitation and inspiration. More is more.

  • The Urnes portal, dating to ca. 1070, is an iconic work of art, with woodcarvings of the highest quality. The woodcarvings were an important motivation for the inscription of the stave church on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1979. In 2020, the National Trust of Norway gathered some of the foremost woodcarvers in Norway to reconstruct the portal, by exploring the tools, materials and techniques that were used in the Middle Ages. The work was divided between several teams of woodcarvers, to promote discussion and exchange of ideas. The process has brought forth a deeper understanding of the intangible knowledge traditions that gave shape to the tangible historical object. In September 2024, the reconstructed portal was finished. The lecture will present the main objectives of the project and delve into key parts of the process, showing how the perspectives of the woodcarvers supplement previous research on Urnes, mainly conducted by art historians, archaeologists, and architects.

  • To be announced

LØNSJ

13.30 - 14.30

  • To be announced

  • How can we ensure that we make our buildings stand the test of time? How do we build them to last for generations to come, and make certain that they are not only pleasing to the eye on day one, but that they become more attractive and more beautiful as they age?

    We know that it is possible, because our predecessors have done it again and again, but today’s architects are repeatedly told that this is not something that can be achieved without compromising the building programme or the delivery of value for the client. This is not the case.

    Using examples of projects by John Simpson Architects the talk will explore how by applying construction methods that marry the benefits of modern technologies with lessons derived from centuries of traditional building, we too can build buildings that will endure.

15.00 - 16.00

  • Decades of research have established the significant impact of visual stimuli at the molecular, anatomical, and functional levels. More recent investigations have extended the scope of this work to examine the psychophysiological effects of visual organization in natural and artificial environments.

    Studies have consistently demonstrated the restorative benefits of environments with natural structural properties, which have been shown to improve mood, enhance concentration, reduce stress, and positively influence physical health and self-perception. These effects align with the Biophilia hypothesis, which posits an innate human affinity for nature and its patterns. There are specific geometric properties of natural scenes that mediate these effects, which are not exclusive to natural environments but can be effectively integrated into artificial settings.

    Traditional architectural styles globally embody these principles, reflecting a deep resonance with the structural and functional patterns of the human nervous system. Emerging evidence suggests that artificial environments designed with these elements can evoke similar physiological and psychological benefits as natural environments. On the other hand, specific geometrical features common in modern architecture have been shown to induce stress responses.

    These findings offer a promising framework for (re-) integrating biophilic principles into design, with potential applications for enhancing human health and well-being in physical as well as virtual spaces.

  • Potsdam – with a big majority - decided a strategy which – in long terms – was asking for the rebuilding of the historic center of Potsdam in  a way “which stands for centuries”. It took more than 10 years for the first results which was the so called B -Plan number 1.

    The main idea was to redo 2 historic building – destroyed between 1945 and 1950 – completely, and ad – on important urban points – so the called “Leitbauten” the “leading buildings”. Those two have been the Schloss (new State Parliament (Landesparlament) of Brandenburg) and the Palazzo Barberini (now a museum). 5 “Leitbauten” were surrounded by various “modern” buildings which stay completely in form and material in the historic context – but: the are visible modern.

    The last piece in the wonder is the Garnisonkirche (garrison church) whose tower (90 m high) was completely rebuilt in 2025.

     On this site my office is responsible for the Barberini, the Garnisonkriche, and another 3 “modern” buildings.We know that it is possible, because our predecessors have done it again and again, but today’s architects are repeatedly told that this is not something that can be achieved without compromising the building programme or the delivery of value for the client. This is not the case.

    Using examples of projects by John Simpson Architects the talk will explore how by applying construction methods that marry the benefits of modern technologies with lessons derived from centuries of traditional building, we too can build buildings that will endure.

  • Murbyen Oslo is a building protection centre for Norway’s historical buildings of stone, brick and mortar. It has a particular focus on Oslo’s architectural heritage from mid-19th century to the early 1930s. Providing free counceling for owners, houseboards etc. as well as offering educational courses in traditional building techniques for students and craftsmen, “Murbyen” also aims to rise the general awareness and enjoyment of local historical architecture. Often being ignored or regarded as of little value, this is particularly important when it comes to the architecture of the last decades of the 19th century. This historicism of this period still defines Oslo and is closely connected to the city’s identity. “Murbyen Oslo” contributes to preserve this part of our heritage.

  • As a hands-on architect, Trond Eide has been doing many projects and he will present a small selection of these in this talk. He will briefly present his professional life living in, with and of Norwegian vernacular buildings. He will talk about how he approaches, investigates, reads, and deals with what he calls “everyday beauties” mainly in Trondheim, and why he thinks it is meaningful and important. He will also talk about how he has experienced the changes of mindsets in the last two generations.

16.30 - 17.15

  • To be announced

  • This (controversial) project aims to show how the classical tradition is better suited for the design of public  buildings and cultural institutions. Showing a vision as far removed from the finalized building, the aim is to show a new viable path for the design of public architecture in Norway.

  • Patzschke Architects have been creating contemporary traditional architecture in Germany and elsewhere for 30 years, mostly in urban contexts. In this year’s talk Robert will once again provide a short introduction into the company’s work as well as a brief summary on the key aesthetic elements that are of importance in their design process. The focus of this brief talk will be on their debut project in Norway!

17.30 - 18.00

  • To be announced

Drinks at Skyggesiden

Sunday 04.05

10.00 - 10.40

  • Architectural ‘education’ today is nothing of the sort. It is a five-year indoctrination in visual fantasies and rhetorical obfuscation. It is not fit for the purpose of designing buildings that actually work as architecture: precious little time in ‘education’ is spent on actually learning how to construct a building. It produces bogus philosophers, dim conceptual artists, and arrogant pseuds, but hardly any technically capable designers, so it is high time real architectural education brought matters back to the real world.

    The ultimate responsibility for the Grenfell Tower disaster in London lay with the architects, said an excoriating 1,700-page Report which highlighted the ‘widespread failure among the profession’, and the question has been asked ‘why are so many “architects” today so utterly detached from the realities of building contruction’? Would anyone trust, say, a medical practioner, who had spent five years colouring in fanciful conceptual computer-generated drawings, spouting pseudo-intellectual Derridaesque nonsense, and designing speculative re-arrangements of bodily organs as proposed by some self-appointed guru urging the destruction and re-design of the human body from scratch? Yet the public is asked to accept ‘architects’ who have gone through something similar in their ‘education’, which is actually brainwashing by pschopathic bullies, members of a pseudo-religious fundamentalist Cult.

    This lecture argues for a return to sanity and the real world: if that does not happen, architects could soon be as extinct as the Dodo.

  • Since childhood, Veneman has nurtured two major passions: one for music and the other for traditional architecture. While working full-time as a performer, writer, and educator in music, his passion for traditional, and particularly classical architecture slowly grew. An ever-increasing appetite to learn the languages of design led him to study relevant books and to observe, analyze, and design buildings. Through positive feedback from professionals after he began sharing his designs online, Veneman gained the confidence to apply for the 2019 Engelsberg Summer School. To his surprise and delight, he not only got accepted, but he also returned home afterward with two design commissions.

    While the usual path to a career in architecture leads through academia, this talk will be about an autodidact's journey into architecture, its preconditions, challenges, and rewards. It is a story of passion, persistence, humility, and "critique by creating", meant to hopefully inspire those who love traditional and classical architecture but are uncertain about their path to becoming practitioners.

11.00 - 11.40

  • In the era of widespread ecological concerns, greenwashing has become a popular strategy for corporate businesses to advance their commercial interests. Architecture offices are no exception and for many architects greenwashing has become a particularly popular strategy to avoid aesthetic responsibility for their designs. Fake ecological concerns thus become an excuse for the aesthetic pollution of the built environment.

    The aim of the presentation is to analyse the origins of this practice, its current forms and its aesthetic impact.

  • This lecture will present drawings by Norwegian Architects that have inspired Aksel in his own designs, and what he believes we can learn from them in our own time of revival. He will share his own proposals for new traditional buildings and his reflections on the national romanticism and early C20th revival. Experiences from a recent reconstruction project for a Norwegian Municipality will also be shared. The lecture will be of interest to architects, developers and clients who wish to build classical or traditional buildings. 

  • To be announced

  • This lecture will consist of four parts with the main issues focusing on architecture, politics and city planning. The first part of the lecture will focus on classical and traditional architecture in the political election program of the Center Party in Bergen. The second part will focus on concrete and short-term results of this becoming policy after winning the 2023 local elections. The third part will focus on the long-term results and other plans for the architectural future in Bergen. The fourth and last part will relate to the obstacles facing politicians and organizations wanting to create beautiful cities and buildings, and how to best overcome them.

12.00 - 12.30

  • Brought on by the increasingly alienating, bland and anonymous environment that it created, the ideology that dominated the 20th century is finally being rejected. A new philosophy born, during the final decades of the last century, is determined to create a better place for us as human beings to live. This movement, now gathering enormous momentum, is beginning to grow in every corner of the globe. It is rediscovering the wisdom of our ancestors who lived in towns and cities created to be beautiful, enjoyable and convenient. We are learning from their success how to rebuild our world to make it a better place, and to reconstruct it so that it reflects our ancestral traditions and conforms to the characteristics of its geographical location. We are witnessing the birth of a new age 'the Age of Reconstruction'.

    The context today is very different from that faced by our ancestors centuries ago. Today populations are significantly larger and the demand for new places to live keeps on growing. Whereas in the past towns and cities could grow organically and incrementally, today they need to be built at a pace where whole towns or city quarters are built simultaneously. How can you give a scale, a variety and a character to a development without relying on gradual evolution? The talk will examine techniques that have been used today by John Simpson Architects as a practice to do this, using examples of work in Britain and France to show how this is done.

LØNSJ

13.30 - 14.30

  • The talk will descibe the daily work of the craftwoman, associated with the Bygghytta - one of the oldest restoration sites in Europe. The lecture will descibe - in a practical manner how figures, sculptures and ornaments on the cathedral are copied, both for documentation but also for refurbishment and replacement with new stones. Offergaard will also present other projects outside the work of restoringteh ornaments at the gothic Cathedral in Nidaros.

  • How should we relate to the past? The Venice charter of 1965 is often cited as the root of the architectural concept of contrasting the new from the historic. However, if we look further back, we find the concept is deeply rooted in the modernist movement, and early modernist architecture. In architecture in Norway this concept is established as a moral duty, owing much to the work and teachings of Sverre Fehn.  

  • Is classical architecture merely a copy-paste exercise of standardized elements? Is beauty an inherent quality of buildings or a subjective impression shaped by the observer’s mind? These enduring questions lie at the heart of many architectural debates. This lecture examines how these problems were treated throughout the Early Modern Period, from Brunelleschi’s pioneering efforts to revive Roman architectural principles to the rise of Neoclassicism during the Enlightenment. The discussion oscillates between theory and practice, exploring both explanatory models in aesthetics and applied principles of architectural design.

15.00 - 15.40

  • This talk discusses the neuroscience that reframes our understanding of how architecture impacts us, including how people non-consciously attach to buildings, and why that matters; the talk will show eye-tracking and other tools which reveal our non-conscious behaviors, including how our brain is hardwired to seek out detail and avoid blankness in the built environment.

  • Trondheim is a town characterized by a large amount of Jugendstil architecture, over four hundred buildings in fact. How can we learn about facade composition from existing architecture and apply certain principles when designing today? Somehow this knowledge seems to be lost – but the resources exist in our surroundings.

    Through this extract from her master thesis, she aims to present four principles of Jugendstil composition in a visual, enlightening and amusing way. 

16.00 - 16.45

  • Architect and activist Arild Eriksen, un-related to the Symposium, will host a panel on Beauty in Architecture, wrapping up the discussion and takeaways from this years conference. Guests and questions are to be decided by him/her.

    Stay tuned for more information!

Drinks at Skyggesiden