Čoarvemátta
Sámi Theater, High School and Reindeer Herding School

Čoarvemátta is located in Kautokeino in the middle of Finnmarksvidda, Norway's largest and northernmost plateau. All the building's sides and facades are equally important, and relate to the various landscape spaces that surround it in different ways. The two-storey building is low in the landscape and has proportions that harmonize with hills and elevations in the surroundings, avoiding angles breaking with the landscape’s natural shapes. The roof slopes on both sides of the building (north, south) to minimize the height effect of the project seen from a distance, and forms at the same time an entry situation towards the access from southwest.

The project interprets Sámi architecture with references from crafts, materials, and nature. As the innermost joint of the reindeer horn symbolizes different qualities and strengths and represents two elements that unite, Coarvematta is unifying for the theatre and the school, and release the potential that lies in the tension between the school's practices and the theatre's storytelling ability.

The National Reindeer Herding School was merged with the Sami High School in 1988. Five years later, Beaivváš was given the status of one of Norway's four national theatre institutions. Since then, the school and the theatre have been of great importance to Sami culture and education, but both have also been in need of new premises for a long time. The co-location means that the institutions can take advantage of each other's facilities and jointly operate robust, spacious halls and rooms. The building facilitates synergies between building and user, theater and school, and architecture and landscape. This is in line with the Sami ideology of taking care of and using all resources.

The new shared space has a branching shape, with a main entrance and vestibule in the center. From here, the building stretches in three different directions – adapting both visually and functionally to the landscape – with a wing for each of the three functions; the theatre, the school, and the faculty.

The vestibule is the focal point of the building. The curved lines, the highlight of the roof with skylights like from a reahpen, smoke hole, and the visible load-bearing glulam wooden structure, are inspired by light wooden constructions typical of reindeer-herding Sami areas, such as the lavvu.

As the natural meeting point the space is well-suited for activities such as duodji, Sámi handicrafts, cooking, and theater plays. The large amphistaircase is a unifying common room for students and theatre audiences and provides a good overview and connection to the 2nd floor. Large glass panels at both ends of the vestibule provide an open, well-lit space with good daylight conditions and a view of the two mountain peaks Bealjážat, "the two little ears," a landmark in Kautokeino.

The façade of the building is made with standing wood cladding in ore pine. The massive roof measures 4930 m2 and is clad with 34 000 meters of kebony. The Alta slate on the theatre's gable wall has been reused from the village's old primary school, which has been demolished.

Inside the vestibule and corridors, the polished concrete floors mimic the ground outside the building, with elements of locally mined stone, including slate and masi quartzite, in various shades of grey and green. On the upper floor, there is colored linoleum on the floors. The walls have wooden slats and oiled smooth-edged wood paneling, while all the fixtures are carved in pine and ash veneer.

The approach to colors and material concept for the school is holistic. The center of the building, around the foyer, vestibule and theater halls, is painted in warm, red shades. Then the color scheme becomes cooler, and the further away from the hearth you get, the colder the colors become, with bluish tones at each end of the building's wings. Contrasts between door, wall and floor within the different heating zones have clear references to Sami use of color. This makes a strong contrast to the building's exterior, which is clad in white for the most part of the year.

The school has a strong desire to showcase the students' constantly new works both for the benefit of the school itself and for visitors. Larger wall panels and hanging surfaces have therefore been set aside for this purpose in several places in this building, preferably where many can benefit from it.

The shape of the building naturally forms three outdoor spaces. The one facing south constitutes the main entrance and a space in front of it. The forecourt is an intimate and circular space with arrán, a fire pit, sitting stones and an amphitheatre. The sitting stones are taken from the plateau just outside, and this flexible room can be used by both school and theatre. The Alta slate used here comes from a quarry near the construction site.

The outdoor area on the other side of the theatre wing is intended for the school's construction classes, and is shielded both visually and from the prevailing wind direction. North of the building, large areas have been set aside for reindeer fences, which are directly linked to the reindeer herding department inside the building, and have been built by local reindeer experts. On the east side, the plateau meets the building in a natural way, and the terrain and vegetation have been preserved as close as possible to the building.

Over the entire construction site, soil that has had to be removed has been preserved, the top layer has been temporarily stored, and subsequently returned to all surfaces around the building, so that the seed stocks are intact. Restoring the plateau landscape takes time, but is allowed as new plants with new roots prevent the original seeds from germinating. On the forecourt, some grass seed has exceptionally been sown that NIBIO has collected in Finnmark, to allow it to turn green faster. The outdoor area is also planned with snow removal in mind, as the snow remains for a very long time and moves in jibs.

The signage program harmonizes with the building’s linework, complementing the architecture, interior, and landscape design. While primarily functional, it subtly references traditional craftsmanship and material use, adding layers of refinement and cultural depth.

The main signs are crafted from powder-coated steel mounted on pine, with a versatile system that integrates seamlessly with various materials. It functions effectively in both open and private areas, adapting to different spatial needs.

The graphic elements—including typography and pictograms—echo the building's curved lines, creating visual cohesion. To meet multilingual requirements (Northern, Southern, and Lule Sámi, as well as Bokmål), iconography is extensively used for readability from a distance. Black-and-white text and icons offer strong contrast against the interior colors and pine material, ensuring clarity without clashing with other colors or artworks.

The welcome sign at the main entrance is mounted on a stone matching the sitting stones in the forecourt, sourced from the surrounding plateau. This creates a cohesive connection between the landscape, architecture, and interior, establishing a holistic experience from the moment of arrival.

In its new home in Čoarvemátta, the theatre is located centrally in the building, which enables a close synergy between the school's workshops and the theatre's support areas. The main access to the main hall is from the vestibule, with an alternative entrance directly from the forecourt. This provides close connection to the outdoor theater amphitheater located in the southern part of the area. Changing rooms, green room and make-up are located on level 1 with close access to the main hall. Other premises for the theatre's employees are located on level 2 where there is direct access to the technical balcony in the main hall.

Norway’s national body for art in public spaces, KORO, is responsible for the art in the new building of the Sami National Theatre Beaivváš and the Sami upper secondary school and reindeer herding school.

The art works are deeply rooted in two fundamental concepts in Sámi cultural understanding: vuoiŋŋalašvuohta, Sámi spirituality, and árbemáhttu, traditional knowledge, and shows the range of Sámi art, from tradition-based duodji to conceptual contemporary art.

A total of six new works have been created for the new building. After a closed competition, Máret Ánne Sara (b. 1983) was invited to design the theatre's stage curtain. The work Gapmu goes to the core of Sámi knowledge and worldview, and is deeply rooted in the artist's personal stories and political engagement.

Britta Marakatt-Labba (b. 1951) is one of Sápmi's most renowned contemporary artists. She has created the embroidery Miin Duoddarat / Our Plains, with direct references to the history of the theatre, for the building's common room.

In addition to the new works, there are two larger, existing artworks by two of Sápmi's most famous and influential artists, Aage Gaup (1943–2021) and Iver Jåks (1932–2007), that have been moved from the old school building to the new.