The Palace for the People of Trondheim offers an architectural response to a time of crisis where we have learnt to adapt. The palace is a large span shed with a timber frame structure of glulam elements and roof trusses set out on a 5 by 5 meter grid offering maximum flexibility within the building envelope. With a focus on sustainability and local tradition, the structure looks forward, using minimal material to assemble a distinctive, modular system that could be adapted or removed if needs change.
Located on an industrial site where river Nidelva meets the Trondheimsfjord, a junction between the region’s boat traffic and incoming tourism, enclosed by mountains providing sheltered conditions. The Norwegian city of 200.000 inhabitants has wide variations in climate, resulting in diverse seasons of 21-hour long days of summer and 4-hour days of winter. A light wrapping of translucent ETFE-cushions admits Nordic winter light into the building while providing a view of the seascape. During summer months the ETFE regulates the varying solar conditions from day to day with adjustable offset printed intermediate layers. The eastern wing of the building is dedicated to all services as the only fixed space within the palace with a tower serving as a landmark proclaiming the palace’s presence on the pier.
The multipurpose hall provides an intermediate layer of insulation and enclosure and the service wing is insulated and timber clad. Services are distributed along the structural grid of trusses and in linear floor conduits from plant rooms in the service wing to facilitate many types of temporary inhabitation. Underfloor heating zones within the grid can be controlled independently. Pushing the boundaries of the traditional timber frame, the 6500m2 open floor plan can easily adjust to accommodate a concert for 12000 people, dozens of classrooms, or a vaccination station and homeless shelter divided by movable partitions like walls or curtains or more permanent internal structures.
