FEHN'S SCHOOL FOR DEAF CHILDREN (1971 - 1977)

The final element of the pilgrimage has arrived - a visit to the School for Deaf Children located in the Northern suburbs of Oslo. 

Throughout my time in Oslo I had heard variously that this project proved to be Fehn's 'Sydney Opera House'; in terms of reputational damage within certain quarters, but more of that later.

PUPIL PARENT ACCOMMODATION

 Met by the fabulously enthusiastic former principal Anna - Beate Christophersen, clearly a Fehn enthusiast, I was again given free rein to explore the School, interspersed with  deep and enriching conversation regarding the history of the School, present circumstances, and the future of the School.

Fehn was commissioned to design this special place and clearly threw himself wholeheartedly into the project and the particular needs of the occupants to be. Fehn clearly understood the needs of deaf children and those hard of hearing, particularly in the importance of visual connectivity between spaces.

STAFF ROOM KITCHEN DESIGNED BY FEHN

MUGS CHOSEN BY FEHN HANGING ON HOOKS DESIGNED BY FEHN

 

FEHN CUPBOARDS

FEHN DESKS....

AALTO CHAIR PAINTED BLACK IN THE ART STUDIO

In addition, the pedagogy was defined by his spatial responses, focused upon developing a sense of real community - a community of learning.

Children attended from across Southern Norway and in that regard the accommodation  designed for children and parents is a masterpiece in the development of places of retreat, gathering and providing 'visual thresholds' between.

In terms of morphology, the project resonates of the hill villages of lands further south, so loved by Fehn. The development tumbles down the hill to be met with an external space that speaks of the village square (complete with amphitheatre). The place for gathering and jolly japes. 

Anna - Beate generously showed me original (dyeline) layout drawings (scale 1:50) that are an object lesson for any student of architecture in what to draw and what to leave out. She also gifted me with Fehn treasures...a copy of the original School brochure, copies of press cuttings and other such gems.......

It was those press cuttings that punched me hard in the stomach!

The Oslo press feasted upon Fehn with such headlines as;  

Concrete Hell for deaf children

Construction scandal to 28 million (Norwegian Krone)

(Dagbaladet 20.12.1975)

CAFETERIA KITCHENS

These headlines developed apparently as real vendetta against Fehn, vilifying the conjunction between humane modernism and the care of deaf children.

Such  reactions ensured that Fehn would spend a number of years in the 'wilderness' unable to gain public commissions which explains his fertile period that focused upon the design of houses for individual clients.

 

ANNA BEATE DEMONSTRATING THE SIGNING PUPPETS

And what of today? The School is in the process of closing. European and National edicts insist that deaf and hard of hearing children are located in 'mainstream' Schools and thus  the original purpose of the project have evaporated. 

Whatever one may think of this strategy, the fact of the matter is that the School will shut in July. 

The buildings are listed and thus should not be demolished, but there is a strong chance that all of the original Aalto and Fehn furniture  will be dumped as it appears to be unappreciated by the authorities. 

Perhaps more importantly, devoid of its original use the project becomes problematic for the authorities that have responsibility for the future.

 

ACCOMMODATION INTERIORS

The fabric of the building is also delicate and appears to be consistently under-resourced in terms of planned rather reactive maintenance.

 This is redolent of wider issues; as historic artefacts some of Fehn's masterpieces are under-threat.

All these conditions have set me thinking.......of opportunities as yet undefined.