Trondheim

Norway - Trondheim

Archetypes

Norway's massive wood heritage townhouses, built between 1800 and 1945, continue to serve as residential buildings, reflecting the country's strong timber tradition. This tradition dates back to the first century and until today, wood is the preferred building material for smaller dwellings. The Norwegian archetype is known as the wooden log townhouse and is characterized by several distinctive features: massive wood construction, panelled facades (often facing the main street), small-paned windows, and one or two floors with an attic under the roof. While primarily residential, some of these townhouses also host commercial activities on the main floor.
These wooden log townhouses are typically located directly off the street with small backyards or outhouses, positioned closely together, shoulder-to-shoulder, creating a dense urban feature. Two building techniques are applied. The wood log construction (or laftevegg) consists of massive wooden logs that are laid on top of each other, joined by tongue-and-grooves at the corners. These walls are often finished walls externally and partly internally with cladding panels. The timber frame construction (or reisverk) consists of posts and sleepers with an infill of vertically aligned wooden planks. These wooden walls are also finished with external and internal cladding, with the addition of a wind barrier behind the external cladding.

The case area neighbourhood in Bakklandet, Trondheim, represents a relatively large area of a cultural heritage environment, consisting of detached and semi-detached houses. In Norway, these building types represent 71% of the total historical residential building stock dated up to 1945, and 11% of the total residential building stock until 2021 (Statistics Norway, 2024). Only in Japan (Christensen, 1999), more wooden log buildings have been preserved from before the reformation (1536 CE) than in Norway (Berg, 1997). In Europe, outside Scandinavia, there are barely traces of wooden log buildings older than 1500 CE. Within Scandinavia, it is mainly in Norway such houses are preserved (Berg, 1998; Hauglid, 1980).
Wooden log buildings appear in the Alps, the Eastern European mountain-areas, Russian forest areas and in the Nordic countries, roughly corresponding to the extent of coniferous forests (Christie, 1974). The occurrence of wooden log buildings was probably more common when the coniferous forests were larger in extent, but there are few archaeological traces (ibid). Traces of wooden log buildings from around year 0 CE have however been found (ibid). In Scandinavia, wooden log buildings developed around the Viking Age (approximately 700 – 1050 CE) (Christie, 1974).

Neighbourhoods

Bakklandet is characterized by shared physical features, social connections, and a sense of community, due to the uniformity of the small, two-storey wooden residential buildings that characterize the street fronts. It is Trondheim’s first suburb, emerged during the mid-1600s and rebuilt several times after being set on fire first during the Swedish siege of the city in 1658 and later during the Great Nordic War in 1718.
The neighbourhood has a specific unity within the urban fabric due to its own character, amenities, and identity. The individual houses and buildings contribute to the overall character and functionality of the neighbourhood. This is physically shown by larger wooden warehouses towards the riverbank, narrow cobblestone alleys, and two to three storey low-ceiling wooden buildings on the back side along the main streets that crosses the whole neighbourhood: Øvre Bakklandet from south, and Nedre Bakklandet and Nygata from north. Øvre Bakklandet and Nedre Bakklandet meet at the crossing that leads, through the old city bridge Bybrua, to the city centre and the Nidaros cathedral. The wooden town houses that characterize the neighbourhood are often occupied by commercial activities at the ground floor, and residential use at the first and attic floors. This is especially visible in the buildings closer to the Bybrua, where the ‘centre’ of Bakklandet can be identified. Commercial and residential use is present in the warehouses that face the Nidelva river. The presence of mixed-use buildings in Bakklandet can be traced back to its foundation, since the residents were mainly small traders, craftsmen, and labourers.

The houses were simple, often single-story structures. Some merchants who owned city-side breweries also established warehouses on Bakklandet due to restrictions on storing flammable products in the city’s breweries (Bratberg, 2008). The buildings, dating back to the 1700s, were predominantly crafted from timber. These modest structures reflect the practicality and resourcefulness of the working class. The small, unpretentious dwellings were home to labourers, artisans, and their families. Their modest size and simple design reflect the financial limitations faced by these working-class individuals. Despite their simplicity, they have endured through the centuries, bearing witness to the lives of those who inhabited them. The tightly packed arrangement of buildings along the winding streets of Bakklandet mirrors the close-knit community that once thrived there.

These houses stood side by side, forming a cohesive fabric of daily life. The proximity of homes to each other fostered social bonds and a sense of shared experience among the residents. The local architecture tells a story of economic struggle. In 1846, Bakklandet was incorporated in the city of Trondheim (Bratberg, 2008). The introduction of building restrictions in 1845 led to the decline of wooden structures in the central city area. Over time, the buildings were neglected and deteriorated. Buildings had to undergo several restorations that have compromised their authenticity, until during the 70’s the area started to change face becoming a prestigious residential area.

Despite this, many of them continued to be used as homes, but various restorations have compromised their authenticity. The uncertainty surrounding Bakklandet’s future, linked to plans for largescale demolition due to a proposed main road through the area, led property owners to neglect the maintenance of the buildings. However, the neighbourhood experienced a revival when the plans for the main road were abandoned, demonstrating how thoughtful preservation can enhance the appeal of a neglected historic residential area (Bratberg, 2008). In the 1960s, the buildings in the area were threatened to be demolished.

From the late 1970s, the neighbourhood underwent significant changes, transitioning from a worn-down, industrial area to a highly attractive residential and partly commercial district. Renovated houses presently coexist with a vibrant social scene, including numerous restaurants, cafes, and small shops (Bratberg, 2008).

As one of Trondheim’s most well-defined older neighbourhoods, this area exemplifies the cultural history of the working class and labour. Beyond its cultural and historical value and crucial role in shaping the cultural identity of the community, these buildings have economic and environmental value with their small business that represent a central element in urban life.