Bergen Assembly Open Office

Located at Halfdan Kjerulfs gate 4 in central Bergen, the Open Office is an accessible, shared space for work, informal and formal gatherings, and cultural activity. Designed and refurbished by the musician Kristoffer Wie Van Der Pas and the Bergen-based architect Tord Øyen, the space builds on Bergen Assembly’s history of initiating open and informal venues as part of previous editions, including Partisan Café (2016) and Belgin (2019). These spaces offered low-threshold, non-commercial access for local groups and cultural initiatives. With the Open Office, this becomes a more permanent practice for the Assembly.

The Open Office remains open throughout across, with, nearby, continuing its everyday use while also hosting temporary interventions. The architecture collective Al Borde reimagines the space through a material transformation employing discarded hospital garments. The office also holds the traces of the Cross Courses, a multi-site programme developed with Bergen School of Architecture. Gathered here, these traces are brought into proximity with the day-to-day activities hosted by the space.

The Open Office is shaped through trust: local groups and initiatives may use the space as required — whether for meetings, meals, readings, workshops, or celebrations. As such, it offers an alternative to more formal or commercial venues in the city, and will continue to evolve in response to those who inhabit it.