karasjok town centre

Karasjok town centre is divided by the Karasjokha river. From the 1950/60s onwards the town centre was gradually migrated from the cultivated land north of the river to the forested area south of the river. On this side of the river the RV93 (road) in the Tana valley continues in the direction of Kaitokeino.

Karasjok's new centre grew from a few shops, a town hall, a health institution, a Samifolkehøgskole, a petrol station etc. The centre became influenced by the architectural trends at the time, something that lead to a disorganized town. Concrete jungle is a fitting term to characterize Karasjok's town centre at that time.

The planning for the development of the centre of Karasjok started in 1998. With substantial involvement from the local population a site analysis was completed, and in 2000 this site analysis laid the basis for a building plan of the area. By 2002 more detailed plans had been completed, and the building process, which lasted until 2006, began. The aim of the project was to regenerate Karasjok's town centre. This was done by planting pine trees and the use of stone from the area. Conscious use of lighting at public places and by the roads was also an important part of the project.

The summer months in Karasjok are short, resulting in a limited range of plants that will grow there. It was decided to relocate pine trees, ranging from 2-4 meters. This experiment has proved a great success! 

project info:

Location: Karasjok town centre   
Client: Karasjok city council
Year of completion: 2006
Contractor: Odd Erik Oppheim AS
Cost: 20 mill. kr