Location
Year
Collaboration

Skien, Norway
2013
Bergfald Environmental Consultants

This project explores how a time-bound cultural festival can function as a long-term spatial and social framework for public space activation in Skien. Rather than treating the festival as a temporary event, the proposal uses it as a catalyst to establish a continuous public trail that connects key logistical, artistic, and cultural attractions across the city. The trail structure enables the festival to extend beyond its official duration, allowing public spaces to remain active and accessible throughout the year.

By expanding the festival route to link existing urban landmarks, cultural institutions, and everyday public spaces, the project supports both local residents and visitors, reinforcing local tourism while prioritizing daily urban use. The trail can be periodically reactivated for future festivals or adapted as a recreational and educational route for families and communities.

This approach frames the festival as an infrastructural layer rather than a singular event, demonstrating how cultural programming can generate lasting spatial value. The project positions public space as an evolving system of connections, where cultural celebration becomes embedded in the everyday life of the city rather than confined to a specific moment in time.