Bærum Town Hall (Bærum rådhus) in Sandvika

Bærum town hall is the administrative seat of Bærum municipality in Sandvika, Akershus, Norway, a short distance west of Oslo. It is one of the best-known landmarks of Sandvika and a rare example of a municipal building that also works as an art venue.

Who designed Bærum town hall?

The building was designed by the architect Magnus Poulsson, one of the prominent Norwegian architects of the early twentieth century. The first construction phase was completed in 1927 and consisted of the east wing and a tower 31 metres tall. The tower is neo-Gothic in style and still dominates the surroundings of the building.

How did the town hall grow?

After the Second World War the municipality needed more space. The wings facing the sea and the Sandvika river were built between 1958 and 1962, and together with the east wing they enclose a courtyard. Poulsson's son Anton continued the work and ultimately completed the building in line with his father's original vision in the 1960s. The result is a complex built in stages over several decades but conceived as a single whole.

What was the idea of the "white city"?

Magnus Poulsson wanted Sandvika to become a "white city". The town hall was designed in line with this intention, together with other buildings in the centre: Brambanigården, Budstikkagården and the Sandvika cinema. Walking through the centre of Sandvika, you can still read the town hall as part of this larger urban plan rather than as an isolated monument.

What can you see inside?

The building is known for its decoration and art. One of its most important spaces is the Munthe Room, decorated by the painter Gerhard Munthe. It holds seven paintings by Munthe, originally made in 1916 for a parlour at Lille Reistad in Lier. The municipality began building up its art collection in 1960, at the time the last wings were being completed, and the town hall has since served as a showcase for it. Art-focused tours of the building have been organised in English as well as Norwegian.

Practical information

• Location: Sandvika, Bærum, Akershus; coordinates approx. 59.89 N, 10.53 E.
• Type of attraction: administrative building, architecture, art interiors.
• Best for: fans of Norwegian architecture of the interwar and post-war periods, art lovers, and visitors exploring the centre of Sandvika on foot.
• Nearby: the Sandvika river and the waterfront, to which two of the wings are turned, as well as the other buildings of the "white city" listed above.

Frequently asked questions

When was Bærum town hall built? The first phase, the east wing with the tower, was completed in 1927. The wings facing the sea and the river followed between 1958 and 1962.

Who was the architect? Magnus Poulsson. His son Anton Poulsson finished the building according to the original plan in the 1960s.

How tall is the tower? 31 metres. It is built in the neo-Gothic style.

What is the Munthe Room? A room decorated by Gerhard Munthe, with seven of his paintings that were originally created in 1916 for a parlour at Lille Reistad in Lier.

Is the town hall only an office building? No. Besides serving the municipality, it houses the municipal art collection, which has been built up since 1960, and its interiors are a destination in their own right for visitors interested in art and architecture.