In the heyday of paper production, factories could not simply order spare parts from a catalogue with overnight delivery. When a massive roller broke or a custom cog needed replacing, the factory needed a solution immediately. This is where the model workshop came in.
In 2018, the former municipality of Skedsmo—now part of the larger Lillestrøm municipality in Viken county, Norway—launched an experimental initiative known as Modellverksted Skedsmo . Located in a repurposed warehouse near Skedsmo sentrum, the workshop was neither a traditional architect’s office nor a public hearing hall. Instead, it was a hybrid space: part model-building atelier, part digital visualization lab, and part community meeting place. modellverksted skedsmo
Several other Norwegian municipalities (Ålesund, Hamar, Bærum) have visited Skedsmo to develop their own model workshops. Key transferable lessons include: In the heyday of paper production, factories could