Join me on a tour of Trondheim’s most unique houses

One aspect of this move that I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about is housing. Leaving our house in Annapolis was one of the more difficult parts of the decision, and I wanted to have a sense of what the options would be like in Trondheim. So over the past year, I’ve made a nightly ritual of looking at the new real estate listings on Norway’s housing aggregator, FINN.no. This has given me an unnecessary level of familiarity with Trondheim’s housing stock.

Many people have asked me if the price of housing is comparable between Trondheim and Annapolis. The short answer is yes, we can buy something comfortable that we like within our budget; however, the answer is somewhat more complicated. Norwegian and American residential design reflect contrasting priorities: American homes emphasize size, bathrooms, and closet space, while Norwegian homes prioritize energy efficiency, natural light, and outdoor living.

The penthouse apartment of this new development illustrates some of these tradeoffs perfectly.

This apartment faces south on a cliff overlooking the fjord and was designed to let in as much light as possible. It has 517 more square feet of patio than actual house, plus a special elevator to transport your car from street level to the underground garage. On the flip side, its 1,184 indoor square feet contain three small bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms, and apparently nowhere to put your clothes.

Norwegian houses compensate for their limited closet space by having an impressive array of buildings to put in the yard. This first picture shows a hagestue (a “garden living room”) and the second shows a drivhus, which is a greenhouse large enough to include seating.

Another difference is how home design is regulated. In the US, it’s not uncommon for a homeowner’s association to put restrictive covenants on houses. That is much less common in Trondheim, but the city has developed guidance on recommended paint colors for residential housing. Check out the color palette:

With all that in mind, here are a few houses that caught our eye. Some of them we could actually afford; others are just fun.

Bring Your Own Goat

Nestled high in the mountains, this house was designed by a famous architect and featured on a home design TV show. It includes a main house and a separate guest apartment, with a style that feels both industrial and rustic.

However, it’s not for us. Gavin deemed its maintenance needs too intimidating. We don’t know how to take care of a turf roof (do you need a goat?), and the timber siding is literally cut around the existing bedrock.

Plus the sleeping arrangements leave something to be desired. Despite ample space, the house has only two bedrooms, one of which can barely fit a bed. Alternatively you have the option to sleep in a mausoleum next to your exercise bike.

As described by the seller’s agent: “The basement has balanced ventilation and is the best place to sleep when it’s warm out.” We remain unconvinced.

The Mecca Modern

This next house is a funkishus—a Norwegian modernist style characterized by large windows, flat roofs, and apparently, a desire to have all floors angled in different directions.

Gavin said it reminded him of the Islamic Center in Washington, D.C. This seemed like an odd comparison until he explained that the Center’s ground floor runs parallel to the street to comply with the city’s building grid, while the prayer space above is rotated 56 degrees toward Mecca.

This house presumably has no religious justification.

The Condo above Candy

Finally, this brightly-colored duplex makes great use of natural light with a large skylight and pentagonal rooftop deck. We were intrigued enough to book a showing.

It was not until later that we realized the entire neighborhood was on top of a grocery store. Which, honestly, may be the most persuasive Norwegian housing feature we’ve encountered yet.

No closets, but you can be in the candy aisle in 90 seconds. We’ll call that a win.