Youngstorget (which means “Young Square”) is a square and public space located in the centre of Oslo. Built in 1846, it has become a symbol of political power in Norway. It is named after the politician and financier Jørgen Young (1784 and 1837) who was also a member of parliament. Given its close proximity to the Government quarter, the area around the square includes the headquarters of many political and trade union organisations.

The Folketeateret (People’s Theatre), which seats up to 1400 spectators and is the city’s most important venue for musicals, overlooks the square. Previously, the theatre was where the Norwegian National Opera was based and in 2009 it was reopened following a major renovation project that restored the beauty of the building’s original architecture.

The lighting system is used to highlight the building’s 1930s structure that is a striking balance of horizontal and vertical lines. Its verticality is underlined by the wall grazing effect created by Linealuce Compact luminaires with a 100% output that are installed at two different heights to emphasize the theatre’s two lateral wings and the higher block in the centre. Additional Linealuce Compact luminaires with dimmed intensity are located inside the upper terrace that runs along the entire façade. The horizontality of the base, which is accentuated through the use of cement rather than brick, is underlined by Underscore InOut Top Bend luminaires.

4000 K Platea Pro projectors are used for the crown of the building, together with Bos wall-mounted luminaires that create a luminous rhythm that alternates with the windows.

Year: 2018

Client: Youngstorget

Photographer: Tomasz Majewski