From Forgotten to Featured: Regjeringskvartalet

For decades, Norwegian design has often played a surprisingly small role in shaping our shared public spaces. Despite a rich design heritage, many of these environments have been defined by international choices – sometimes by habit, sometimes by default.

At the same time, there has been a growing call from industry voices and organisations: to recognise, prioritise, and make space for Norwegian design in the places that represent us all.

Looking at the new Government District (Regjeringskvartalet), it feels like that call has been heard.

Stine Riiber, interior architect at Cadi, sees the project as both a cultural and aesthetic statement. “This has provided a remarkable opportunity to spotlight Norwegian furniture and design – championing both established and emerging designers, while raising public awareness of Norway’s design history. We simply haven’t cultivated the same close relationship with our design heritage as our Scandinavian neighbours.”

The furniture choices reflect that intention directly. “The selections feel entirely right for Høyblokken (1958) – a natural continuation of Erling Viksjø’s design language,” she says. And rather than clashing with the newer buildings, the pieces hold their own: “Classic design and warm natural wood create a compelling contrast to the crisp contemporary architecture. Interiors become richer when different eras are brought into conversation.”

Sustainability was equally central to the process. For Cadi the ambition was clear: choose pieces that hold up over time, that grow more beautiful with age, and that won’t need replacing in a decade. “These are not trend-driven choices – they were selected because their form and materiality harmonise with the architecture. And because they carry a symbolic weight. This is, after all, Norway’s Government Quarter,” says Riiber.

What ties it all together, she suggests, is something harder to define. “These pieces create warmth and inviting environments. They are unpretentious by nature – and in their quiet confidence, they reflect the social democratic values this place is built to serve.”

For Jørgen Tengesdal, CCO and co-founder of Eikund, this project carries a particular weight. “We have worked with Norwegian design classics for more than a decade, and many of these pieces were once close to being forgotten – old drawings tucked away in archives. To now see them take their place in one of the country’s most important public buildings feels significant.”

Eikund is proud to be among the suppliers of classic Norwegian design to Regjeringskvartalet. And for Tengesdal, the significance goes beyond a single project: “We hope this is not a one-time decision, but part of a lasting shift.”

The new Government Quarter combines the rehabilitation of existing buildings (Høyblokken) with the construction of new ones:

Nordic – Office of Architecture: Responsible for the design of the buildings and the masterplan.

Cadi Interior Architects: Responsible for the furniture selection in the new Government Quarter.

Erling Viksjø: The architect behind the original buildings, including Høyblokken (completed 1958) and the now-demolished Y-blokken.

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