Arts and Decorations
Like all large public construction projects in Norway, Akershus University Hospital was constructed along with a special art project. The budget for the art project was estimated at a total of around $7 million. With a hospital building of 137,000 square feet, one of the strategic choices was to focus on getting few and building-integrated masterpieces. The art collection currently includes twelve major works, which are intended and designed for their specific and unique space. Eleven of them are located in key public spaces; in the hospital's main communications artery, nicknamed the glass street, and one is out in the parkland. All works is thus available to everyone. Besides the twelve building-integrated works the art collection includes some newly acquired autonomous works, such as drawings, paintings and photographs, as well as a new exhibition of a selection of photos from the old hospital building.
The hospital's function is primarily to provide treatment and care. The hospital-space is a public space where communication and interaction between function, art, architecture, and the public was important. The intention and aim was that art should relate to the hospital in a meaningful way and add to the treatment process by soothing the visual experiences of patients as well as staff as research has shown that experiencing art has positive health effects and helps treat illnesses such as hypertension. The hope was that the art would activate in different ways and open to different cognitive and sensory experiences. Another goal has been that art should have its own integrity and independence to the building's architecture and design. The artists desired for it to be read and experienced as art, even if it is integrated into the building's architecture.
Many of the original works is of renowned artists including; Troels Wörsel, Tony Cragg, Julie Nord, Per Sundberg, Ernst Billgren and Vesa Honkonen.
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