Start the day in the church pews!

In our regular programme fixture «today's sermon» we invite dedicated professionals up on the pulpit to present a challenge within the 2026 Triennale's title question – "What if Nature Comes First?" – and a solution. Drop by the Sofienberg Church in the morning hours and start the day with church coffee and a short lecture.

This morning we meet Stian Schjelderup from Sofienbergprosjektet and Schjelderup Trondahl arkitekter, that in the sermon "What if the Grassroots Come First?" will talk about his experience working with Sofienbergprosjektet.

Sofienbergprosjektet did not start with an assignment, but as a pro bono initiative from the grassroots, after which it has been built up through an anchoring both in the grassroots and in the project's target groups – and at the same time upwards in the system against the church, financing, cultural heritage management and authorities. The working group is the very DNA of the project: a small team that has to hold these levels together and translate needs, ideas and experience from the bottom through to devisions that can actually be anchored and implemented within the system. This sermon is about this expanded architect role – contributing to create the task at hand, taking responsibility for the premises, organisation and execution, and not just answer an assignment with a drawing.

Stian Schjelderup is architect and partner in Schjelderup Trondahl arkitekter, a practice that specialises in what they call societal architecture: the understanding of how social, economical, political and managerial mechanisms shape our built environment. The practice is also a partner in Sofienbergprosjektet, an innovation project centered on new use of the Sofienberg church, focusing on local children and youth. Here, he and his practice have taken on an unusual broad role as architects – from initiatice, programming and financing to cultural heritage work, processes with the authorities, project coordination, construction managment and practical implementation.

The doors open and the coffee is ready from 08 PM. Today's sermon starts at 08:15.