RodeoRelated topics
The 22nd of July Center is a national memorial and learning center that conveys the causes and consequences of the terror attack on July 22, 2011. This brutal attack, which targeted the Government Quarter and Utøya, resulted in the loss of 77 lives and left many others injured. The human consequences remain significant, nearly 14 years after the event.
The government has decided to establish a permanent 22nd of July Center, scheduled to open in 2026. The center will cover an area of two thousand square meters and include a new memorial zone in honor of the 77 who lost their lives. Once completed, the 22nd of July Center will be the largest memorial and learning center in Europe dedicated to a terror attack. Through engaging communication, the center will showcase the causes and consequences of the July 22, 2011, attack and related topics. The 22nd of July Center aims to contribute to increased democratic citizenship among students, teachers, teacher students, and the general public, providing knowledge about the causes of extremism, radicalization, racism, and hate speech. The center serves as a platform to demonstrate how we can collectively change and prevent these issues through knowledge and attitude work as an essential foundation for democracy in Norway.
The topic of July 22 is an important part of national curricula, and the center will have three classrooms for this purpose. Furthermore, the 22nd of July Center will be the only place in the new government quarter that preserves physical traces of the terror attack.
The 22nd of July Center has announced a competition for the construction of new exhibitions and the reception area in the upcoming center. Rodeo, in collaboration with VOID and Halogen, won the competition, and we are now well underway with the work.
In connection with the construction of the permanent center and the new exhibitions, the 22nd of July Center and Rodeo organized an open breakfast seminar at Byens Tak on March 27, 2025. At the seminar, the project was presented to the attendees, and a dialogue about the work was opened.
The interdisciplinary team from Rodeo, Halogen, and VOID has diverse expertise, consisting of professionals in architecture, environmental psychology, lighting and exhibition design, service design, and textual communication. The task is complex, as the 22nd of July Center must encompass both facts about the terror attack as well as strong and often unexpected emotions, in addition to new perspectives. Through the development of this memorial and learning center, the 22nd of July Center aims to highlight stories that have yet to be told.
The presentation shown, which formed the basis for the open dialogue, is attached at the bottom of the article.
There was also an opportunity to view the memorial room and the eastern pavilion in 3D models.
Thank you to everyone who participated.