Oadjut

Sami culture is largely defined by the notion of not leaving traces behind, of caring for future generations by avoiding to use more of the land and water than what is necessary for one’s everyday needs. When records of history often take their point of departure in the visual and man-made landscape, this makes the Sami culture easily overlooked and creates a need for other ways to make it visible.

The knowledge of Sami culture is limited among those designing the cityscapes currently emerging in Sápmi. Thus, there is a great need for safe spaces and features based on Sami values in public environments. With contemporary Sami architecture, building traditions and philosophy as tools, this project works towards realizing the establishment of public architecture, based on Sami terms, in Giron. As part of the process, we will define guiding principles for Sami design together with Sami architects, culture bearers and other practitioners.

Through Oadjut we want to make a space and a physical reminder of the Sami people’s resilience and presence in Giron, both in historic and present time. The project is established in a professional Sami network of architects, artists and among Sami people in a local context. By collective knowledge development, it is explored how Sami expressions and perspectives can be included in the building process, and in decolonization of Sami architecture. Within other artistic fields the decolonisation has already begun: Sámi film makers, visual artists and musicians have taken initiative, defined the borders for their own culture and created new expressions. However, discussions around Contemporary architecture designed for Sami people has for a long time been from an external perspective not including members from the Sami community.

“It is not only about buildings, but also about restoring visibility and appreciation for the history this land is holding”

Decolonizing Sámi architecture means that design, construction, and decision-making are carried out from Sámi perspectives. It is not only about buildings, but also about restoring visibility and appreciation for the history and contemporary life this land is holding, as Giron in the midst of transformation very much remains a Sami place. Many physical and cultural layers are disappearing and this project acts as a counterforce to forgetting, by creating a meeting place that carries memory and cultural continuity. At the heart of Sami architecture are material cycles, locality, and respect for nature, that offers a more ecologically, ethically and sustainable way of building and designing — for everyone. Highlighting these principles in Giron is more relevant than ever.

Oadjut is built on adaptability. Blueprints and concepts produced within the project are designed to grow and shrink based on needs and funding, at the same time offering the freedom to let the process be shaped by development and learning occurring along the way. The process is considered equally important as the final results, as we know that inclusion and local acceptance enmeshment contributes to engagement, cohesion and long term change. Throughout the project, we explore contemporary Sami architectural processes together with various partners. A broad range of methods will be used, such as the involvement of local communities, investigations of traditional expressions, research of materials and new technological possibilities.

”Taking off from Sami approaches towards nature and culture, this project will develop and refine a set of guiding Sami design principles. These contribute to the exploration of sustainable building methods on Sami land, and ways to ensure the presence of Sami culture”

The scale of traditional Sami construction has historically been based on the size of the locally available material, as well as what can be transported with reindeers. This, with the underlying understanding that all materials at one point will be returned to nature. We want, based on a traditional utilization of local material, to reuse demolition waste from the old city center and trees felled in the process of making space for the new one. The aim is to model an attitude towards raw materials and environment, which would be beneficial for the building sector at large. Taking off from Sami approaches towards nature and culture, this project will develop and refine a set of guiding Sami design principles. These contribute to the exploration of sustainable building methods on Sami land, and ways to ensure the presence of Sami culture when shaping and realizing construction projects in Sápmi.

Starting out in the late autumn of 2025, we will host a series of gatherings together with other practitioners connected to the project. Several of these will be public. From the gatherings, conversations and exchanges of knowledge we will produce a concept detailing important values and functions. At the same time, the Sámi architect Evelina Sarapää, based in the Finnish Sápmi, will develop the architectural design for the project in collaboration with other Sami architects. This material will form the basis for the project’s later practical implementation in Giron.

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The Oadjut project is implemented with support from the Swedish Arts Council, the Saami Council, Arctic Design Center, The People’s Movement for Art Promotion and Kiruna Municipality.