Special Lecture by Kjetil Trædal Thorsen, Founding Partner of Snøhetta
"Continuous State of Reinvention"
LIVING Modernity: Experiments in the Exceptional and Everyday 1920s-1970s
June 15 (Sun), 2025
- Upcoming Events
- Exhibition Related
- All
- Translation available
The National Art Center, Tokyo will host the very first lecture by Kjetil Trædal Thorsen in Japan, co-founder of the world-renowned architecture and design practice Snøhetta, in conjunction with the ongoing exhibition “LIVING Modernity: Experiments in the Exceptional and Everyday 1920s-1970s.”
The lecture will take the audience on a journey through the history and philosophy of Snøhetta, with a focus on one of the most important issues in our contemporary living, sustainability, a foundational principle since Snøhetta's inception.
Founded in Oslo, Norway, in 1989 as an architectural and landscape collective, Snøhetta was inspired by the Brundtland Commission's EU report on sustainability, Our Common Future, released two years earlier.
Since then, the practice has adhered to the belief that architecture and design can—and should—contribute to improving society and the environment, emphasizing human interaction and connection with both our natural and built surroundings.
Given that the building industry accounts for nearly 40% of global carbon emissions, Thorsen believes that designers and architects need to take a significant responsibility and that we have a great opportunity to drive the industry toward a greener transition.
During the lecture, he will share insights into how Snøhetta’s work is guided by social and environmental sensitivity and will share examples from some of Snøhetta's most notable projects, including the new Library of Alexandria in Egypt, the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet, the redesign of Times Square in New York, material exploration, and the Powerhouse series—buildings that generate more energy than they consume. In addition, Thorsen will present some of the firm’s completed and ongoing projects in Asia, including the Beijing Library which opened in 2023, Shanghai Grand Opera House–due to open in 2026, the ongoing Shibuya Upper West Project in Tokyo, Not A Hotel in Rusutsu, Busan Opera House, Cloud 11 in Bangkok, to name a few.
In the second half of lecture, we will also refer to the current exhibition “LIVING Modernity: Experiments in the Exceptional and Everyday 1920-1970s," and discuss about the modernists strategies which live today, and the influence of Scandinavian climate to Thorsen’s philosophy.
Norwegian National Opera and Ballet
Photo by Jens Passoth
Coutesy of Snøhetta
Event Information
- Date
- June 15 (Sun), 2025
- Time
10:30 – 12:00 (Door opens at 10:00)
- Venue
The National Art Center, Tokyo, 3F Auditorium
- For who
- All
- How to Participate
Please come directly to the venue. Please note that entry may be denied if the seats are full.
- Capacity
Limited to 220
- Admission
Free
- Organized by
The National Art Center, Tokyo; Snøhetta
With the support of
Norwegian Embassy in Tokyo- Inquiries
For general inquiries: (+81)47-316-2772 (Hello Dial)
- Remarks
*Time and content may change without prior notice.
*English-Japanese simultaneous interpretation available.
*Recording or photography of this event is not permitted.
*There will be no live streaming nor archived video available online.
*Please note that photo documentation of this event may be published for the purpose of the NACT’s activity reports and publicity.
Details
Timeline:
10:30 Greeting
10:35 Keynote Speech by Kjetil Trædal Thorsen, Founding Partner, Architect, Snøhetta
11:20 Q&A Moderated by Miryon Ko, Senior Manager of International Projects, the National Art Center, Tokyo
11:55 Final Remarks
12:00 End of the lecture
Speakers
Kjetil Trædal Thorsen
Founding Partner, Architect, Snøhetta
Photo by Pål Laukli |
Kjetil Trædal Thorsen co-founded Snøhetta in Oslo, Norway in 1989 and has been instrumental in defining Snøhetta’s philosophy and growth into a transdisciplinary and global architecture and design practice. He has had large roles in major projects such as the new Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Egypt, the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet, Le Monde Group Headquarters in Paris, Europe's first underwater restaurant Under, the world's northernmost energy-positive building, Powerhouse Brattørkaia, the Beijing Library and the Shanghai Grand Opera House, currently under construction. For his work, he has been awarded the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award, the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, the Global Award for Sustainable Architecture, the EY Entrepreneur of the year and the FRAME Lifetime Achievement Award amongst others. Kjetil Trædal Thorsen is a frequent lecturer, and from 2004 to 2008, he was Professor of Architecture at the Institute of Experimental Architecture at the University of Innsbruck, Austria. In addition, he often acts as a jury member for international design and architecture competitions and awards, such as the Obel Award, the Zumtobel Group Award, the Frederick Kiesler Prize 2024, the National Monument to Freedom and Unity in Leipzig 2024 and the State Award for Architecture and Sustainability 2024, Austria. In 2024, he led the jury for the Obel Awards, and in 2025, he is the chairman for Holcim Awards. |
About Snøhetta
Snøhetta is a transdisciplinary practice including architecture, landscape architecture, interior architecture, art, product design, graphic and digital design, often integrating a combination of disciplines across its projects.
From the beginning in Norway in 1989, Snøhetta’s approach has been framed by environmental and cultural sensitivity, inspired by the Brundtland Commission’s UN report on sustainability, released in 1987.
Snøhetta’s first significant commission was in 1989 for Bibliotheca Alexandrina, reviving the ancient library in Alexandria, Egypt. This was followed by commissions for the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet in Oslo and the National September 11 Memorial Museum Pavilion in New York, followed by projects on all scales around the globe.
Today, Snøhetta has more than 320 employees from 40 nations across eight regional studios spanning from Oslo to New York, Innsbruck, Paris, Adelaide, Melbourne, Hong Kong, and Shenzhen.ary architecture.
