The government finally conceded and the Y-building stays exactly where it belongs. They tried to erase our architectural history for a parking space but we forced them to back down. Keep your eyes on this site because we have to make sure they actually follow through on their promise.
March 2, 2015
Final supporters
A Cry for the Y
The Norwegian government has decided to demolish one of the main buildings of the damaged government quarters in Oslo. Architect Viksjø´s Y-shaped building, similar to the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, is to be torn down despite it being an intact and integral part of the government complex, featuring Viksjø´s modernistic architecture with the innovative natural concrete technic and monumental in situ artwork by Carl Nesjar and Pablo Picasso.
The
Norwegian government quarters were about to be granted a protection order by
the Directorate of Cultural Heritage when the bomb went off on the 22nd of July
2011. The architectural and artistic value of the buildings are therefore well
documented and unquestionable. The prime minister has now called for a new
structural plan for the area, excluding the existence of the Y-building. This
shows a lack of respect for the established values of the site and for the
complex as a whole.
OUR WISHES
1. We implore the government to reconsider their decision and keep the Y-building.
2. We want the Y-building to be part of the parallel assignment for the government complex
3. We want the design for the future government complex completed before the building is destroyed.
4. We want to be presented with a more detailed plan for securing the monumental art pieces in the building.
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
January 23, 2015
December 3, 2014
The government continues to ignore the architectural and artistic significance of the Y-building while they push their destructive plans forward. Their silence is cowardice meant to wait us out but we are not going anywhere.
Reached 100 supporters
June 5, 2014
59 Comments
Preserving both of Viksjøs buildings is the only prudent approach. They represent some of our most important cultural heritage from the post-war era, and history can undoubtedly be combined with safety, cost efficiency and evironment-friendly sollutions, if the government is willing to research the matter thoroughly.
y blokka skaper unike byrom både for deichmanske og høyblokka. disse byggene krever åpne rom rundt seg - Hvordan skal konsept øst forbedre det som allerede er?
Et særdeles viktig stykke norsk arkitektur vi ikke kan være foruten. Bygget er av fantastisk kvalitet og svarer til H-blokka. Utred heller hvordan en skal forbedre ring 1 og byrommet rundt regjeringskvartalet. Ikke riv fordi det er for nytt til at allmennheten har opparbeidet et nostalgisk forhold til det. Det kommer tidsnok, det også.
ICOMOS internasjonale komité for det 20. århundres arkitektur har vist stor interesse for bygningens bevaring.
Y-blokka er et unikt bygg i den norske og internasjonale konteksten. Y-blokkas distingte fotavtrykk gir regjeringskvartalet en synlighet og er med på å gi området en identitet, dette vil forsvinne hvis man velger å rive den.
The Y-block is a modern ruin, just down the street from the Nasjonalmuseet – Arkitektur. Unlike classic ruins, it seems perfectly inhabitable and easily fixable yet everyone is resigned to its demolition. I cannot understand this… Why destroy something that a terrorist attack could not? Years before, I stood atop the crater that the World Trade Center had become and saw New York forced to rise from the ashes without erasing its memory – however painful. Erling Viksjø’s Government Complex should remain a symbol of democracy, preserved as part of Norway’s post-war optimism and contemporary openness. The H-block (1958) and the Y-block (1969) are shared international heritage, which reflects the values of collaboration (in Picasso’s mural “The Fishermen”) and harmonious urban dialogue (with the Trefoldighetskirken and the Deichman Hovedbiblioteket). The solution is not to tear down but to bring back the site’s former dignity, even if that means rerouting traffic around it, like Breuer's UNESCO headquarters, in Pa
Share this petition
Share this petition to help it reach more people.
Your share link
The government finally conceded and the Y-building stays exactly where it belongs. They tried to erase our architectural history for a parking space but we forced them to back down. Keep your eyes on this site because we have to make sure they actually follow through on their promise.
March 2, 2015
Final supporters
A Cry for the Y
The Norwegian government has decided to demolish one of the main buildings of the damaged government quarters in Oslo. Architect Viksjø´s Y-shaped building, similar to the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, is to be torn down despite it being an intact and integral part of the government complex, featuring Viksjø´s modernistic architecture with the innovative natural concrete technic and monumental in situ artwork by Carl Nesjar and Pablo Picasso.
The
Norwegian government quarters were about to be granted a protection order by
the Directorate of Cultural Heritage when the bomb went off on the 22nd of July
2011. The architectural and artistic value of the buildings are therefore well
documented and unquestionable. The prime minister has now called for a new
structural plan for the area, excluding the existence of the Y-building. This
shows a lack of respect for the established values of the site and for the
complex as a whole.
OUR WISHES
1. We implore the government to reconsider their decision and keep the Y-building.
2. We want the Y-building to be part of the parallel assignment for the government complex
3. We want the design for the future government complex completed before the building is destroyed.
4. We want to be presented with a more detailed plan for securing the monumental art pieces in the building.
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
January 23, 2015
December 3, 2014
The government continues to ignore the architectural and artistic significance of the Y-building while they push their destructive plans forward. Their silence is cowardice meant to wait us out but we are not going anywhere.
Reached 100 supporters
June 5, 2014
59 Comments
exquisite concrete work and built on democratic ideas that are important to remember and continue
Preserving both of Viksjøs buildings is the only prudent approach. They represent some of our most important cultural heritage from the post-war era, and history can undoubtedly be combined with safety, cost efficiency and evironment-friendly sollutions, if the government is willing to research the matter thoroughly.
y blokka skaper unike byrom både for deichmanske og høyblokka. disse byggene krever åpne rom rundt seg - Hvordan skal konsept øst forbedre det som allerede er?
Et særdeles viktig stykke norsk arkitektur vi ikke kan være foruten. Bygget er av fantastisk kvalitet og svarer til H-blokka. Utred heller hvordan en skal forbedre ring 1 og byrommet rundt regjeringskvartalet. Ikke riv fordi det er for nytt til at allmennheten har opparbeidet et nostalgisk forhold til det. Det kommer tidsnok, det også.
ICOMOS internasjonale komité for det 20. århundres arkitektur har vist stor interesse for bygningens bevaring.
Y-blokka er et unikt bygg i den norske og internasjonale konteksten. Y-blokkas distingte fotavtrykk gir regjeringskvartalet en synlighet og er med på å gi området en identitet, dette vil forsvinne hvis man velger å rive den.
The Y-block is a modern ruin, just down the street from the Nasjonalmuseet – Arkitektur. Unlike classic ruins, it seems perfectly inhabitable and easily fixable yet everyone is resigned to its demolition. I cannot understand this… Why destroy something that a terrorist attack could not? Years before, I stood atop the crater that the World Trade Center had become and saw New York forced to rise from the ashes without erasing its memory – however painful. Erling Viksjø’s Government Complex should remain a symbol of democracy, preserved as part of Norway’s post-war optimism and contemporary openness. The H-block (1958) and the Y-block (1969) are shared international heritage, which reflects the values of collaboration (in Picasso’s mural “The Fishermen”) and harmonious urban dialogue (with the Trefoldighetskirken and the Deichman Hovedbiblioteket). The solution is not to tear down but to bring back the site’s former dignity, even if that means rerouting traffic around it, like Breuer's UNESCO headquarters, in Pa
Share this petition
Share this petition to help it reach more people.
Your share link
Petitions like this
Other petitions you might want to support
Scan to share
Anyone who scans this can sign the petition.
exquisite concrete work and built on democratic ideas that are important to remember and continue