Bakklandet, in Trondheim, is one of the city’s most picturesque and historic neighbourhoods. Famous for its colourful wooden houses, cobblestone streets, and cosy cafés, it was Trondheim’s first suburb, founded in the 1600s. Over the years, it has survived wars, fires, and even the threat of demolition, and today it stands as one of the city’s liveliest areas. The neighbourhood grew as a home for traders, craftsmen, and labourers, who built modest timber houses with shops or workshops on the ground floor and living spaces above. Many of these mixed-use buildings remain, giving Bakklandet its distinctive blend of residential life and small businesses. Along the river, old wooden warehouses recall its working-class roots, while the main streets connect directly to the city centre via Bybrua, Trondheim’s famous old bridge. In the 20th century, Bakklandet fell into decline, and in the 1960s there were plans to replace it with a major road. Local opposition and preservation efforts saved the area, and by the late 1970s it began to transform. Renovated houses, new cafés, and small shops brought fresh energy, turning it into one of Trondheim’s most popular districts. Today, Bakklandet is a vibrant mix of history and modern life. Visitors stroll its narrow lanes, stop at its many cafés, and enjoy views of the Nidelva River. Beyond its charm, it represents Trondheim’s resilience and identity, showing how a historic working-class neighbourhood can become a cultural and social treasure.
Archetype: Wooden log townhouse 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 represents 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). The Archetype is characterised 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 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. Case Study: Nygata/a, Nedre Bakklandet/c, Nedre Bakklandet/f Carousel images