Built in 1828 by Charles Grosch, 1997 Pritzker Prize Winner, Sverre Fehn adapted and extended this building which now serves as the National Museum of Architecture. The Museum's website (
visit link) informs us:
"The National Museum – Architecture opened in 2008. The main building, designed by Christian Heinrich Grosch (1801–1865), was completed in 1830 as a division office for Norges Bank. It was adapted and extended by Sverre Fehn (1924–2009), who was awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 1997.
The building is a juxtaposition of classicism and modernist architecture – an encounter between Grosch and Fehn, Norway’s most important architects of the 19th and 20th centuries respectively. The museum’s temporary exhibitions explore both contemporary architecture and historical themes. The architecture collection includes drawings and photographic material, in addition to models and other objects."
Wikipedia (
visit link) adds:
"Sverre Fehn (14 August 1924 – 23 February 2009) was a Norwegian architect. His highest international honour came in 1997, when he was awarded both the Pritzker Architecture Prize and the Heinrich Tessenow Gold Medal....
Fehn designed over 100 buildings;[3] however, by the time he received the Pritzker in 1997 only 11 had been built.[2] Some of the most notable are:
1958 Norwegian Pavilion at the Brussels World’s Fair, Belgium
1962 Nordic Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, Italy
1963 Schreiner House, Oslo
1963-64 Villa Norrköping, Sweden
1967-79 Hedmark Museum in Hamar, Norway
1990 Busk House, Bamble
1991-2002 Norwegian Glacier Museum, Fjærland
1993-96 Aukrust Centre in Alvdal
2000 Ivar Aasen-tunet in Ørsta
2007 Gyldendal House, Oslo
2003-08 National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design, Oslo"
The building has a blue plaque written in Norwegian which reads:
"SELSKABET FOR OSLO BYES VEL
NORGE BANK
OPPFORT 1828
ARKITEK CHR. H. GROSCH
CHRISTIANIAFILIAL 1828-97
HOVEDSETE 1897-1906
OLE HOILAND ROVET BANKEN
NYTTARSAFTEN 1835
RIKSARKIV 1914-79"
and Google translates as:
"Society for Oslo Byes WELL
NORWAY BANK
listed in 1828
Architecture CHR. H. GROSCH
CHRISTIANIA BRANCH 1828-97
MAIN SEAT 1897-1906
OLE Høiland robbed bank
New Year's Eve 1835
National Archives 1914-1979 "