Student Society in Trondheim - History

History

As the Norwegian Institute of Technology (NTH) (later the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NTNU) opened, September 15, 1910, Trondheim got its first real group of students, and the need for an organized student society soon became apparent. Only one week later, a group of students met and decided to create a student society, and yet one week later, on October 1, Norges Tekniske Høgskolens Studentersamfund ("The student society of NTH")first came into existence.

In the beginning, membership was limited to NTH students; this was later expanded to all students (over 18) in the Trondheim area, and thus, in 1912, the name changed into Studentersamfundet i Trondhjem ("The student society of Trondheim"), which still is its current name, although the city has switched names twice since.

In the first two years, Samfundet did not have its own building, but in 1912, they bought an old abandoned circus building (only called "Circus"), and 15 years later, in 1927, one began the building of the characteristic red round house which is today known as Samfundet. In 1929, the building was finished and the activities were moved. Although Circus was abandoned, the old traditions were carried through by architect Eystein Michaelsen; Storsalen (the main concert hall) still looks very much like a circus.

The building still stands, with active maintenance on a day-to-day basis and bigger projects taking place every two years (related to UKA).