With a striking brickwork pattern, the architects created an expressive extension. The headquarters of the Student Association Trondheim is not only the organizational centre of the association, but the cultural heart of student’s life in Trondheim.
As Norway’s third largest concert organizer and a meeting point for the students, the Student’s Association Trondheim is a pulsing heart of the city. Commonly known as “Samfundet”, the red round headquarters were long bursting at the seams: Built in 1929, when Trondheim had around 700 students, it was never enlarged until 2024, when the city of Trondheim counted more than 40,000 students. With the extension, the capacity increased from 2,450 to 3,870 people, with two more stages and several new workshops and production rooms. Together with their team the architects Ida Midbøe Rognstad and Jon Morten Breidablik of Eggen Arkitekter have worked on the project.
Ida Midbøe Rognstad: Before the extension project started in 2019, we had already worked for the Student Association Trondheim several times. The association is one of a kind in Norway: they have high economic independence and a democratic management system, which plays out in their role as a client. So, they were of course deeply involved in the planning and decision-making process.
Ida Midbøe Rognstad: The colour and façade were key topics. We had several workshops about the façade and presented different solutions to the members. The students wanted something new and surprising with a wow-effect, while the extension needed to be anchored to the old house. They wanted to signal openness, with clear references to their societal role as a concert and theatre organizer. So, we designed the façade to act like a stage curtain with a unique pattern that curves around the building to create a new, accessible entrance.
Ida Midbøe Rognstad: The appearance of the existing building – especially its distinct colour – was an important source of inspiration for the new design and a great challenge to add to. The answer was to use design elements from the old building with a new and modern twist. It should be no doubt that this was an extension to the well-known Samfundet. The façade should reflect the society’s desire to become more open and inclusive, while at the same time harmonizing with the existing building. So, we used a decorative brick-grid as a response to the original façade with its rich plastered decoration. The old house is built in the art deco style; decoration and ornaments played an important role. The square rosette is found in the logo of the Student Association; we took that and created a pattern for the façade. The idea was to achieve an open structure, with reliefs, materiality, shadows and light that could give softness to the surface.
Jon Morten Breidablik: We wanted to create a reference to crochet and knitting patterns and refer to how a repeating pattern starts and ends. The pattern therefore rises above the local references and takes on something more universal, with an expression that many can recognize regardless of cultural background.
Ida Midbøe Rognstad: The idea of a pattern came first. But we wanted to build a bridge between the old and the new, and brick has a long tradition as a building material in Trondheim. Therefore, brick seemed to be the perfect material.
Jon Morten Breidablik: It is a winered extruded brick with a natural, vibrant structure. This brick alternates between warm red and winered shades – it was precisely the red colour that we were looking for.
Ida Midbøe Rognstad: We had a long list of requirements to the material. Besides the colour and the pattern, we needed a brick that works well in an open grid, where it is exposed for water to all sides. We needed a strong and resistant material that handles frost well. We contacted wienerberger at an early stage to get advice on both the type of brick and the technique for the masonry. They guided us and recommended type of bricks that where suitable for the purpose and colour preference.
Ida Midbøe Rognstad: The unique pattern was a challenge for the masons. As the project developed, the commitment to create something outstanding became clear. We had several fine tunings of less than a centimetre with a steel system, concrete, prefabricated brick beams and the bricks that were supposed to follow the pattern. Ruta Entreprenører and the mason Horneberg Bygg put in a lot of great work to make it happen.
Jon Morten Breidablik: We have previously worked a lot with brick in buildings, where references to the historical surroundings are important. Brick is unique because it offers so many possibilities in design. The interaction between mortar and brick gives us the opportunity to work with structure and materiality and the balance between lightness and heaviness.
Ida Midbøe Rognstad: Each brick is unique and brings the façade to life. Brick adds a lot to the surroundings and is therefore a very rewarding material to work with.
Ida Midbøe Rognstad: With its location in Elgeseter in Trondheim, the Society has many brick buildings in its vicinity, so the brick has helped to create a common thread with the rest of the city. It is important to think about how the building harmonizes with its surroundings, while also making it stand out. We are very pleased that we were able to create a new building that complements the existing one while also showing respect for it. It has been a long and exciting process, which we are very grateful to be a part of.
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