It is amazing what does not actually exist in the world. I am prone to overthink things far too much for my own good. It is a natural inclination to imagine a bad possible consequence of a situation instead of an equally probable good one, but for me this instinct often acts in overdrive: I tend to hop directly to the negative, and spend far too much time ruminating on the worst possible thing that could happen. It has become almost a cliché to say so, but while things often do not go the way that I hoped for, upon further reflection it is rarely the case that the results are ever as catastrophic as I imagine. In modern life, people are exposed to an unprecedented level of psychological noise. I consider myself incredibly lucky to have been raised in the last generation that was able to experience early life before the Internet became a form of pervasive pseudo-reality that people spend most of their time immersed in, as opposed to being an alternative means of momentary escape and ent

Few things embody more pure talent than the detail of traditional Japanese carpentry. ____________________________________________ I always say that there are two things for which I have endless respect in this life: people that take initiative to start things, and people that have developed a highly refined skill. The first is a topic for another day; today I want to give my attention to skill. It is a curious state of being in this world that humans devote most of their time to learning and acquiring information, especially early in life. No one comes into (out of) the world with anything else than a mind which is structured to perceive, imitate and extrapolate. While natural inclination, instinct and talent exist, a skill or ability must be introduced, nurtured and systematically developed if it is to become refined and productive. Most societies have a social life structured around this necessity. In modern society it is implied that a child first learns a language and basic rules

Regjeringen har satt som mål å bygge 130 000 nye boliger innen 2030. I kontrast til fortidens behov må mange av disse boligene bli mindre på størrelse og særlig egnet for en økende del husholdninger som består av én person. I en nylig artikkel «Boligkrisen kan løses i byggefeltet» i tidsskriftet Arkitektur (Nr. 3-2025), argumenterer Camilla Moneta for at mesteparten av disse nye boligene kunne bli etablert i eksisterende boligområder gjennom renoveringer, utvidelser og transformasjoner av eksisterende eneboliger. Hun har helt rett: eneboligen er en undervurdert typologi som byr på spesielle muligheter for fleksible nye boformer når man tillater seg å utfordre sedvanen om at et frittliggende hus i en hage må inneholde bare én bolig til én familie. I tillegg til transformering av eksisterende eneboliger, har jeg lyst til å rette oppmerksomhet mot rommene mellom husene. Mikrohuset er en typologi som kan bli en høyaktuell del av boligsatsingen i tida som kommer. Det er 1,3 millioner enebol

I find great value in studying precedents, good examples of design. Here are some studies of some of my favourite buildings designed by the people that inspire me the most. It is endlessly interesting to study them carefully, examine their motifs and big ideas and explore how their qualities give rise to the final expressions. One day I hope to create a place as wonderful as these. Alvar Aalto A man that needs no introduction. Aalto was a master at composing a facade, as well as integrating interior and exterior spaces in a holistic experience. Every aspect of the spaces in these houses has been carefully thought through. One of the qualities that has always impressed me about Aalto’s works is that they are uncompromisingly «modern» in their expression, but at the same time they do not fall into the pitfall of a generic expression like so much of the undesirable, boring construction of recent years that is attributed to modernism (where «modernist» is used as a derogatory adjective). W

An article about the Japanese philosophy of wabi sabi and its relation to Scandinavian design. I have also created a page for it on my articles page here. «Wabi sabi» is an aesethic world view with roots in Japanese zen philosophy which is based on an intuitive appreciation of fleeting beauty which reflects the irreversible flow of life. It takes as a point of departure two aesthetic senses: wabi and sabi. Naturally it is difficult to translate these ideas perfectly. Wabi is understood normally as natural simplicity and finding a higher beauty in ordinary things which seem at first sight to lack apparent beauty. Sabi is a celebration of the ancient, honourable patina that follows from aging, weathering and frequent use. Taken together wabi sabi attempts to discover a peaceful joy in the full cycle of life, from birth to death and from moments of great honour to others of complete collapse. Prevailing trends and styles have long praised expressions of perfection, permanence, accuracy an

Among many other necessities, to move forward and prosper it is essential to have a place to structure a life. ______________________________________________ Here in a thatched hut hidden among mountain peaks, with barely room for one, I’m suddenly invaded by wandering white clouds. Kōhō Kennichi (1241-1316) ______________________________________________ A home is our corner of the world, which we can form according to our own nature. In the best of cases it will be a distinguishable built space in relation to others, where we are presented with the opportunity to create both an external expression that reflects ourselves and our personal tastes in addition to an internal environment which does the same. The spaces of everyday life should comfort, protect, calm and inspire. I have always described a good home as a positive emotional connection to a place. At its best, conscious design of our home places can attune us to the subtleties and depth of the world. It can make us aware of whe