The Snøhetta Foundation is an independent non-profit organization rooted in the values of Snøhetta and kindred practices. It exists to explore how architecture, design, and public art can serve as tools for collective learning — and for reconnecting the relationships between people, place, and the planet.
The Snøhetta Foundation is an independent non-profit organization rooted in the values of Snøhetta and kindred practices. It exists to explore how architecture, design, and public art can serve as tools for collective learning — and for reconnecting the relationships between people, place, and the planet.
About
We work to advance the cultural and educational dimensions of architecture, design, and public art. Our programs unite architects, artists, educators, students, and children across continents — creating encounters that combine craft, movement, and imagination. The Foundation operates independently, with or without cooperation with Snøhetta and an international network of partners.
The Foundation addresses three interlinked challenges of our time:
Disconnection between humans, nature, and the built environment — contemporary cities often neglect ecological and human well-being.
Loss of embodied and analog learning — education increasingly bypasses craft, movement, and material understanding, especially for young people.
Erosion of cultural and civic trust — societies need new spaces and methods for inclusive dialogue.
Each of these dimensions is reflected in our programs: Sensing Space (education), Symposia Series (dialogue), and The Living Archive (cultural continuity). Together, they explore how design can reconnect people, place, and the planet through learning and participation.
Knowledge, like space, belongs to everyone.
The Foundation operates in the spirit of the commons: open, transparent, and collaborative. Its work is grounded in the Nordic model and the principles of Our Common Future (1987), the UN report that continues to shape sustainable development. Through initiatives such as Sensing Space, Rethinking Spaces for Dialogue, and the Educational Equality Initiative, the Foundation channels creativity toward social impact, bridging global and local communities.
Our Purpose Statement:
The Snøhetta Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to addressing significant societal and environmental challenges globally. Its purpose is to preserve, support, and foster intellectual discourse; advance education; and promote knowledge and innovative practices in architecture, design, and public art as catalysts for positive change.It seeks to strengthen education in these fields, cultivate open exchange, and create equitable access to creative learning globally — particularly in underrepresented regions. In doing so, the Foundation continues Snøhetta’s legacy of social sustainability, inclusivity, and cultural dialogue, turning design into a force for the common good.
About
We work to advance the cultural and educational dimensions of architecture, design, and public art. Our programs unite architects, artists, educators, students, and children across continents — creating encounters that combine craft, movement, and imagination. The Foundation operates independently, with or without cooperation with Snøhetta and an international network of partners.
The Foundation addresses three interlinked challenges of our time:
Disconnection between humans, nature, and the built environment — contemporary cities often neglect ecological and human well-being.
Loss of embodied and analog learning — education increasingly bypasses craft, movement, and material understanding, especially for young people.
Erosion of cultural and civic trust — societies need new spaces and methods for inclusive dialogue.
Each of these dimensions is reflected in our programs: Sensing Space (education), Symposia Series (dialogue), and The Living Archive (cultural continuity). Together, they explore how design can reconnect people, place, and the planet through learning and participation.
Knowledge, like space, belongs to everyone.
The Foundation operates in the spirit of the commons: open, transparent, and collaborative. Its work is grounded in the Nordic model and the principles of Our Common Future (1987), the UN report that continues to shape sustainable development. Through initiatives such as Sensing Space, Rethinking Spaces for Dialogue, and the Educational Equality Initiative, the Foundation channels creativity toward social impact, bridging global and local communities.
Our Purpose Statement:
The Snøhetta Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to addressing significant societal and environmental challenges globally. Its purpose is to preserve, support, and foster intellectual discourse; advance education; and promote knowledge and innovative practices in architecture, design, and public art as catalysts for positive change.It seeks to strengthen education in these fields, cultivate open exchange, and create equitable access to creative learning globally — particularly in underrepresented regions. In doing so, the Foundation continues Snøhetta’s legacy of social sustainability, inclusivity, and cultural dialogue, turning design into a force for the common good.