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NORDMØRSPOSTEN, 24 January 2026Odd Inge Teige – Desk Editor, Journalist and Photographer

At quay level in Kristiansund, on the ground floor of Loennechengården at Vågeveien 7, architect Hans-Petter Bjørnådal has his base. From here, with views across the harbour basin, he runs the architectural studio POETIC. Above him, on the building’s second floor, new offices for creative industries have gradually taken shape. Among them is designer Christine Blass — Bjørnådal’s wife and close collaborator — who has played a central role in the rebranding of Bjørnådal Arkitektstudio into POETIC.

But the road that led here began far from Kristiansund.

Growing up in the ironworks town

Hans-Petter Bjørnådal was born on 9 February 1977 at Rana Hospital and grew up in Mo i Rana, in the heart of the industrial town and ironworks environment that for decades defined the entire region.

“Mo i Rana was really one of Gerhardsen’s great social projects — an industrial town built around the ironworks,” he says.

His family background carries several geographical and cultural layers. His mother comes from Misvær, south of Bodø, while his father grew up in Bjørndalen, just beneath the Svartisen glacier. He describes himself as a northerner, but adds that his family history stretches much further.

“I usually say I’m a mix of railway worker, Sámi and Italian.”

Behind this remark lie both personal family stories and a broader historical context. While working on Klemetspelet in 2010, Bjørnådal became more aware of older narratives within his family — among them stories of great-grandparents who lived under a stone slab while building their house.

At the same time, he points to the Helgeland coast and the High North as long-standing meeting places between cultures.

“There have been migrations, trade in both directions, influences from Sámi, Finnish and Russian culture, and stockfish trade far down into Europe. You find a lot of Portuguese and Italian blood along the northern coastline.”

Philosophy before architecture

Bjørnådal completed his schooling in Mo i Rana before moving south after upper secondary school to study philosophy at NTNU in Trondheim. His ambitions were clear.

“I was going to become a philosopher. The goal was a PhD.”

He describes his student years as deeply engaging.

“I became fascinated by questions of reality, consciousness and how we, as humans, perceive the world.”

Gradually, however, doubt crept in. His father asked him the classic question: what were you actually going to use this for?

“That’s when I began to wonder whether I really wanted to spend the rest of my life sitting at the end of a long corridor in an office.”

The admission that changed direction

Architecture became the alternative. Bjørnådal applied to both the Oslo School of Architecture and Design and the Bergen School of Architecture. In Bergen, he arrived at the interview without a traditional portfolio, surrounded by applicants with art backgrounds and extensive preparatory work.

“I really had nothing to show. But I talked. A lot.”

The decision came unexpectedly. The then rector, Svein Hatløy, decided on the spot that Bjørnådal should be admitted.

“He was very interested in philosophy and architectural philosophy. We connected immediately and had many good conversations.”

His years at BAS proved formative. The school had recently moved into new premises in a converted silo in Sandviken, Bergen, and students began under simple conditions.

“We sat in basements without electricity, built models, and were sent out into the field. We travelled to islands to study ancient foundations, restore boathouses, and learn how to establish a dwelling within the landscape.”

This marked his first practical encounter with landscape thinking.

“It was about understanding how architecture grows out of an interaction with nature.”

A turning point back home in the north

He completed his studies in 2003 with a diploma project on homelessness. Shortly afterwards, he returned to Mo i Rana. His father was seriously ill with cancer, and Bjørnådal wanted to be close.

“It was a major turning point in my life. My father was the one I called, the one I discussed the big questions with. When he died in February 2004, I had to find a new direction.”

After a period of commuting between Bergen and Northern Norway, he took a position with Stein Hamre in Mo i Rana. Later, he established his own architectural practice, formally registered around 2008.

Trondheim, large projects and new experience

A few years later, the journey continued to Trondheim, where he joined Per Knutsen Arkitekter. Over three years, he worked on major housing developments such as Strinda Hageby and Lilleby, with responsibility for detailed design and project management. The office also won the competition for a kindergarten in Sunndalsøra.

“There was a lot of learning during that period — large projects and complex processes.”

The love story that led to Kristiansund

It was also in Trondheim that his personal story took a decisive turn. Through Tinder — still relatively new at the time — he came into contact with Christine Blass.

“We started talking and decided to meet.”

He took the express boat south. Their first date took place at Smia in Kristiansund.

“It was a very good start.”

The weekend included homemade cake. Christine, who comes from a family with strong baking and confectionery traditions rooted in German heritage, describes herself as a cake snob.

“That was the first time I’d experienced that kind of cake. It made an impression.”

Eventually, they decided to move in together. During the pandemic, an opportunity arose to establish an architectural studio in Kristiansund. When the premises in Loennechengården on the quay became available, they took the leap.

“It felt right. This is a very special location.”

A creative environment on the quay

The studio was established on the ground floor, directly facing the quay. Above them, a creative environment gradually emerged, where Christine Blass established her design studio.

“She has been central to the rebranding. We’ve had close dialogue about both visual identity and core values.”

Bjørnådal also points to the building’s past.

“There are old stories about the house being spared during the wartime bombing. I believe a little in things like that — in connections we can’t always explain.”

International projects and recognition

Professionally, Bjørnådal has drawn strong inspiration from the landscape tradition of the Bergen School of Architecture, as well as from Finnish architects such as Sami Rintala and Markku Casagrande. His collaboration with Casagrande led to international workshops and a project at Røssvatnet, where students from across Europe built a temporary nomadic settlement on the ice.

The project was later shown at the Venice Biennale around 2012. This was followed by workshops in Lithuania and collaborations with architects from several countries.

“I’ve always been drawn to small projects with a large impact.”

This approach has brought international recognition. The studio has received awards almost every year since the mid-2010s. The scenography for Klemetspelet, for example, was nominated for the One Awards and assessed alongside major international cultural buildings.

“We were competing against billion-euro projects with a budget of around one hundred thousand kroner. But concept, sustainability and spatial experience allowed the project to stand its ground.”

In recent years, the awards have come frequently. In 2024, the studio received double honours at the DNA Paris Design Awards, including for the stage design of the opening ceremony of Bodø 2024. Previously, the studio has won gold at the Architecture & Design Collection Awards for Community Landscape, received an A’ Design Award for Selfors Housing, and earned several other international distinctions.

In 2022, POETIC was also invited to a public screening at the Venice Biennale. Christine Blass was selected to present the short film The Viable Path, based on the artwork Spheres, developed by Bjørnådal.

Local practice and new projects

Alongside its international work, the practice in Kristiansund has continued to grow. Among local projects, Bjørnådal highlights the Folkeparken School project in collaboration with Betonmast, the rehabilitation of a functionalist villa, and ongoing work on a floating sauna project on the quay.

Rebranding and the road ahead

At the same time, the studio has undergone a significant transformation. The rebranding to POETIC is about clarifying direction and intent.

“It’s a realisation I came to myself. We had to sharpen our focus. What is it that we truly believe in?”

The name change reflects both international accessibility and professional identity.

“POETIC says more about what we do than who we are.”

The studio’s values rest on poetry, sustainability, creativity and quality.

“Architecture should move people. It’s about how spaces are experienced. At the same time, sustainability must be rooted in landscape and place. Creativity needs room — but the quality has to be uncompromising.”

Looking ahead, plans include new commissions as well as further development of design–build work, with workshops where architecture is constructed at full scale.

“We want to work more directly with the physical — with materials, craftsmanship and place.”

Continuing the work on the quay

On the quay in Kristiansund, the work continues.

“The goal isn’t simply to build,” Bjørnådal says. “It’s to create spaces that truly matter to the people who use them.”