Riksantikvaren is supporting a pilot project at NMBU focused on historic green spaces under development pressure. Students will work with Retiro Park in Molde as a case study.
Students will travel to Molde this autumn, where fieldwork will take place in collaboration with Molde Municipality, Møre og Romsdal County Authority, Romsdal Museum and Friends of Retiro Park.
Current land-use challenge
Retiro Park has been selected because the area is under significant development pressure. There are plans to establish football pitches in parts of the currently overgrown park.
This provides a concrete case in which cultural heritage values are investigated, documented and communicated as part of planning and decision-making.
Using digital tools
Students will work with real-world challenges and use digital methods such as 3D visualisation to make historical traces and qualities visible that are not easily seen today.
This provides students with experience in applying such tools in the planning, management and communication of cultural heritage.
The course explores about how digital methods can contribute to better understanding of cultural-historical values in land-use planning.
Builds on existing expertise
The pilot project builds on more than 20 years of work in research, teaching and practice at NMBU's School of Landscape Architecture. Part of the foundation is the research infrastructure Historical Archive of Norwegian Landscape Architecture, together with other academic resources at NMBU.
Collaboration and learning in practice
Annegreth Dietze-Schirdewahn is Professor at the School of Landscape Architecture at NMBU, and leads the research infrastructure Historical Archive of Norwegian Landscape Architecture.
"The initiative builds on more than 20 years of work in research, teaching, continuing and further education and professional practice, as well as the research infrastructure," she explains.
"We look forward to getting started in Molde and to continuing the long-term work with research, education and management of historic green spaces."
Pilot project on historic green spaces
- Funding: NOK 200,000 from the Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage
- Case: Retiro Park in Molde
- Fieldwork: September 2026
- Course: Visualisation of Historic Landscapes LAA321 (20 students)
- Admission: First come, first served
- Partners: Molde Municipality, Møre og Romsdal County Authority, Romsdal Museum and Friends of Retiro Park