Place and Presence

Kjell Borgen’s works in Sápmi

Abstract

The Norwegian architect Kjell Borgen enjoyed a successful career in the second half of the twentieth century as a partner in the Oslo architectural practice Borgen & Bing Lorentzen. Although he was based in Oslo, he also completed commissions in Sápmi throughout his career, from surveying vernacular Sámi architecture to designing works for Sámi clients. By focusing both on Borgen’s works both as a scholar of traditional Sámi architecture and as an architect working for Sámi clients, this text sheds light on his attempts to define what Sámi architecture is.