DATE
2025
COUNTRY
Norway
category
Cultural
ABOUT THE PROJECT
AAhkA, a work by Outi Pieski, is exhibited in Block A in Oslo. This monumental artistic intervention is part of the reconstruction of the Norwegian government district following the 2011 attacks, becoming an iconic landmark overlooking the city’s administrative heart. Frapont contributed to the project by developing and fabricating the artwork, coordinating directly with the artist, KORO, and the construction company HENT.
The Block A project is part of the reconstruction of Oslo’s government district, initiated after the 2011 attacks. This building, one of the central structures of the new state complex, houses the monumental artwork AAhkA by Outi Pieski and offers direct views of Norway’s administrative heart, making it an iconic landmark within the city.
This ambitious project was commissioned by Statsbygg, the government agency responsible for managing public infrastructure in Norway, with HENT as the main contractor and the design led by Nordic Office of Architecture. Throughout the process, we worked closely with KORO, the national body in charge of integrating art into public spaces, and, of course, with the artist Outi Pieski.
At Frapont, we were responsible for the design, engineering, fabrication, and installation of the 51-meter artistic wall, which transforms the entrance of Block A into a visual icon. Each panel was carefully interpreted to translate Outi Pieski’s vision into a feasible construction solution, while preserving the work’s symbolic and emotional impact.
Throughout the entire process, we worked closely with Outi Pieski, KORO, and HENT, ensuring that every detail reflected the artistic spirit and institutional context of the project. The complex installation took place between May and September 2025, overcoming unique technical and aesthetic challenges.
Before the final production, we developed a full-scale mockup in our own workshop. This phase allowed us to test and refine all construction and visual details. Both the artist and representatives from KORO, HENT, and Statsbygg visited our workshop to validate the technical solutions and ensure that the final effect precisely matched the artistic vision.
AAhkA is crafted from solid birch wood sourced from Finland, chosen for its durability and visual warmth. The panels were mounted using a Walraven metal framework, which allowed each module to adapt to the wall’s 21° angle and the varying depths of the design. This innovative solution transformed Outi Pieski’s original drawing into a three-dimensional mural, where the arrangement of the panels creates the artwork’s distinctive silhouette.
Outi Pieski created AAhkA as an artistic intervention rich in symbolic meaning. Inspired by the connection to the land, memory, and the roots of the Sámi people, the work represents the figure of an ancestral mother, visible on a grand scale in the lobby of Block A.
Its composition invites observation from different angles and heights, transforming the space into a place of reflection and welcome for officials, visitors, and representatives of the Norwegian government. The collaboration between Frapont, the artist, and the involved institutions has ensured that the lobby is not only functional but also a cultural and architectural landmark within the new government district.
