The building that today houses the Bodø Cultural Centre is located southeast of the actual town centre. This building was the result of an architecture competition in 1961. In addition to the school, the building also houses the community centre that has a large auditorium - which today is the Bodø Cultural Centre. Winning the competition were Paul Cappelen and Torbjørn Rodahl who have also designed many central buildings in Northern Norway. They were capable of creating a design solution for the Aspåsen School by giving it an oval ground plan, where the school is located in the upper section and the community centre below. The classrooms are organised alongside the two outer walls, and the three-storied community centre's auditorium rises above in the middle.

This building can be perceived as a part of the experimentation with form that occurred during the 1960s. The large constructive elements are also characteristic for the period as well as late Modernism. Another common feature is the bordering, detached building shell. It appears like a pure and autonomous form - a form which builds upon a clear and superior idea.

During the establishment of the Bodø Cultural Centre in 1992, the central auditorium was converted into a concert and theatre hall and renovations were carried out throughout the rest of the building. The firms BOARCH arkitekter and 1A arkitekter were the architects responsible for this renovation.

1967

Paul Cappelen

Torbjørn Rodahl

Bodø Municipality

School

cultural centre

Concrete

school

cultural centre

concrete

Cappelen, Paul and Torbjørn Rodahl: "Aspåsen skole, Bodø" in Byggekunst 7/1967, p.178.

Jakhelln, Gisle (and others) (ed.): -byen vårres, vandringer i Bodø, Bodø 2004.