Norwegian Architects Honored for Defying Architectural Norms

Young architectural firm, TYIN Tegnestue, proves that good design can be affordable, and that architecture can be used to help solve some of the world's existing social ills, rather than exacerbating them, writes Kelsey Campbell-Dollaghan.

2 minute read

October 17, 2012, 9:00 AM PDT

By Erica Gutiérrez


Each year, the European Prize for Architecture rewards architectural firms concerned less with producing spectacles, and more interested in finding solutions to social problems. This mission is gaining fans in an architectural world that is becoming more interested in "social change, social improvement, and real cultural development," rather than the "over-commercialization, over-consumption, and self aggrandizement" noted by Christian K. Narkiewicz-Laine, president of one of the organizing bodies of the Prize.

This year's winners, TYIN Tegnestue, fall perfectly in line with this mission, going against the grain in their unconventional approach to the old adage, "form follows function." Since 2008, the firm has completed six projects for underserved populations in Indonesia and Thailand, including an orphanage and an education and social welfare center. Costs have amounted to as little as $10,000, a figure unheard of using more conventional building methods.

By using locally-sourced building materials, and minimalist design elements that are easy to replicate, the firm actively seeks to engage local inhabitants in actual project construction. TYIN principals, Andreas G. Gjertsen and Yashar Hanstad, state, "We don't want to give people the ‘fish' but to teach them how to fish so they can catch their own," citing the famous Chinese proverb, as Campbell-Dollaghan reports. "We start the process with a real problem, not some made-up concept of a problem."

Their pragmatic approach to architecture is both accessible and transparent. In following, the duo recently published the TYIN Architect's Toolbox, "a downloadable kit that will let other designers learn from their extensive experience building with underdeveloped communities." As Campbell-Dollaghan alludes to, the kit encourages and empowers other architects to emulate their pragmatic and refreshingly unpretentious approach to architecture.

Thursday, October 11, 2012 in Fast Company Co.Exist

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

View of dense apartment buildings on Seattle waterfront with high-rise buildings in background.

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents

The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

July 11 - Real Change

Aerial view of suburban housing near Las Vegas, Nevada.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing

Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

July 11 - Shelterforce Magazine

Green bike share bikes parked in a row on a commercial street with outdoor dining and greenery.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive

Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.

July 11 - Cities Today