This is Fellesverkstedet’s current location where we will be carrying out several case studies during 2012. The building is one of the last of its kind, an old steel warehouse in central Oslo that dates back to 1910, when it was an integral part of the industrial movement in Norway. We've produced a short report that tells a little of the story.
Download the pdf here (in Norwegian)
The place is undergoing a rehabilitation and transformation in collaboration with the owners and neighbours, Norway’s largest mosque, Central Jamaat-e Ahl-e Sunnat. The work will continue throughout 2012 and 2013, and we'll keep updating this section to show the progress.
After the clean out it became obvious that the building needed more than a lick of paint, it really does have some problems. We've now launched a preliminary project with our architect Sondre Solheim that will analyse and plan what needs to be done, it's pretty serious work but we've got a good team.
Fellesverkstedet is a non-profit members organisation working on developing practical solutions for improving living and working conditions of creative people in Norway. We're underway in establishing an open center for production in the heart of Oslo.
After restoring and adapting Urtegata 11 to our users' needs, Fellesverkstedet will provide subsidised access to professional tools, equipment, machinery and assistance in a host of production techniques. Urtegata 11 will be a unique cultural destination, with production as its focus. We want to give creative people and institutions the chance to overcome and develop technical and practical challenges, we want to see what is possible if an infrastructure is put in place that will allow people to produce anything they want to.
Fellesverkstedet was recently given status as a cultural center (kulturhus) by the city of Oslo, and has also been approved as a FabLab by Massachusettes Institute of Technology. These are titles that reflect our goals towards building an innovative production center, and sets the bar for where we want to take the institution. With solid funding and support at both local and national levels already in place, 2013 will be an exciting year for creative production in Norway.
Here we're presenting a selection of the work that's already being realised at Fellesverkstedet, it's by no means everything and it's a mixture of both physical and theoretical work, but it's a taste of what we're about.
If you need help with a project, you're trying to find a supplier, or maybe you want to help us, just get in contact and we'll see what happens!
In april we set up a print workshop in Urtegata and made available professional screen printing equipment and assistance to artists for a few weeks. 5 projects were carried out over 22 days, producing 10 prints in a range of sizes, colors and edition numbers.
The case study had several specific motives, like collecting information about the current situation and demand for open print facilities, finding out requirements and issues related to the building, discussing the potential of cross-department added value, study different techniques, testing price structures and other operational adaptations, etc. A small letterpress machine was obtained during the study and will be supplemented with type and equipment, and more studies are in the loop.
The artists that came in to print, have fun and pick up some tricks were:
Hans Christian Øren, Mai Hofstad Gunnes, Jorunn Myklebust Syversen, Sindre Goksøyr, and Linn Horntvedt. Your contributions are much appreciated!
Fellesverkstedet is something new, it's a different way of working, there are other places out there that work in a similar way, but it's not really happened before in Norway. In order that we get it right and receive the support and advice we need we are collaborating with a number of different organisations. Here's a list of all those who are involved at present:
Mandelbrot
Fellesverkstedet is at present a research project, which means that we're not always at home, that means you can't just drop in for a chat, but we're available, it's easiest to send us an email and we can take it from there! Vi snakker også norsk!
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Postal Address:
Kjølberggt. 27c
0653 Oslo
Norway
Pilot Address:
Urtegata 11
0187 Oslo
Norway
email:
info@fellesverkstedet.no
