The old military hospital at Sinsenveien 76 in Oslo is now being secured for the future.
The Director General of Cultural Heritage will designate Sinsenveien 76 in Oslo as a protected building on Thursday, October 23.
The building is now part of Aker Hospital, but was built by the occupying forces as a special hospital for German officers in 1941.
"Sinsenveien 76 is one of the state's important cultural heritage properties and a cultural environment that is important to preserve for future generations. This preservation order ensures that a facility that represents both Norway's war history and health and care history is preserved," says Climate and Environment Minister Andreas Bjelland Eriksen.
Aker Hospital was annexed by German forces in 1940 and further expanded as Sinsen Kriegslazarett, with Sinsenveien 76 as an important part of it.
The facility stands out from other buildings constructed by the German occupying forces in Norway. Both its function and architecture make it unique. The facility was built to be more permanent than many other wartime structures.
Birthplace of the entry
After World War II, the facility had a long history of government use. Among other things, it was here that the rehabilitation program was established after the war. The purpose was to rehabilitate war-wounded soldiers and help them find new careers.
Later, people with partial disabilities from civilian life were also included in the scheme – under the names Statens attføringsinstitutt (the State Rehabilitation Institute) and Senter for yrkesmessig attføring (the Center for Vocational Rehabilitation). The latter was a tenant until 1996.
Sinsenveien 76 has also been used for nursing education and as an asylum center.
"Sinsenveien 76 tells us about important parts of Norway's history. It was built by the German occupying forces, but also has a rich history in the formative years of post-war health care and social welfare," says Director General of Cultural Heritage Hanna Geiran.
"This is where Norway's public rehabilitation program was established after the war, and it also served as an asylum center for 20 years. The building therefore has great cultural and historical value, and the Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage thinks it's wonderful that it will be reused for healthcare in the future," says Geiran.
Becoming part of the new Aker Hospital
Sinsenveien 76 will now be renovated and used for the treatment of children and young people in mental health care, as part of the local hospital and emergency hospital at the new Aker Hospital.
At Aker Hospital, it is referred to as Building 100.
The preservation of the building at Sinsenveien 76 is an important reminder of the history surrounding Aker Hospital, which we must preserve for future generations. The building is in active use today and houses, among other things, a cancer rehabilitation center and a learning and coping center. The building will also continue to be used in the new Aker Hospital that is currently under construction, says Geir Teigstad, director of Oslo Hospital Services.
The main building consists of four wings connected by glass corridors. Three of the wings are arranged in a U-shape around a garden. The fourth wing protrudes from the north facade of the main wing. The wings are constructed of paneled log walls on cast concrete foundations.
The preservation order covers the exterior of the main building, load-bearing structures, and the interior of the fireplace room in the west wing.
The outdoor area includes a protected inner garden and parts of the green area surrounding the main building.
Sinsenveien 76 is owned by Oslo University Hospital HF. Since it is state-owned, it is subject to so-called regulatory protection.
