The History of Landeskogen

Landeskogen was planned and built during a period when tuberculosis was a major public health challenge in Norway. As early as 1900, Norway introduced a dedicated Tuberculosis Act, one of the first pieces of legislation in the world aimed at combating the disease. The law laid the foundation for a more systematic public effort focused on prevention, treatment and the establishment of institutions for tuberculosis patients.

As part of this national initiative, Landeskogen was established as the first state-funded sanatorium in Norway. Through such measures, the government aimed to strengthen treatment capacity and ensure that patients from different parts of the country had access to modern sanatorium care.

The complex was designed by architect Kristian Hjalmar Biong, one of Norway’s leading architects during the first half of the 20th century. Biong created Landeskogen as a complete sanatorium complex where buildings, technical installations and outdoor areas formed part of a unified plan. The architecture was based on contemporary sanatorium ideals, where light, fresh air, hygiene and good living conditions were considered important elements of treatment. The construction of the extensive masonry complex was carried out under the direction of master mason Gunerus Soot, who was responsible for the execution of the building works.

The choice of location was based on the contemporary understanding of climate, nature and health, where fresh air, good light conditions and peaceful surroundings were considered important factors in treatment. The location of Landeskogen was nevertheless debated. Many sanatoriums were established at higher elevations, often around 500 metres above sea level or more, as altitude and climate were considered significant. Landeskogen is situated lower, at approximately 250 metres above sea level, but was chosen because of the site’s overall qualities: a favourable local climate, good sunlight conditions, a sheltered location and proximity to the region it was intended to serve.

When the complex was completed in 1916, Landeskogen was a modern sanatorium designed according to the ideals of the time regarding light, fresh air, rest and hygiene. With its main building, technical facilities, staff residences and its own power station, it was one of the most complete institutional complexes built in Norway during this period.

When Landeskogen opened in 1916, the sanatorium received patients from Agder and Rogaland. Over the following 45 years, the institution became a central part of the public effort to combat tuberculosis and an important part of the region’s healthcare services. Between 1916 and 1961, around 10,000 patients received treatment at Landeskogen.

Treatment was based on the medical knowledge of the time, where rest, fresh air, good nutrition and regular routines were considered the most important measures. Patients often stayed for long periods, and daily life followed a fixed pattern of meals, rest, medical examinations and time spent on verandas and outdoors. The architecture was an active part of the treatment approach, with large windows, bright rooms and open verandas providing access to daylight and fresh air throughout much of the year.

At the same time, Landeskogen was a small community. Doctors, nurses, administrative staff, kitchen and laundry workers, heating staff, gardeners, caretakers and many other occupational groups worked there. Together with the families living in the staff residences, they created a vibrant institutional environment where work, housing and everyday life were closely connected. For patients, the stay was not only medical treatment, but also an everyday life shaped by community, activities and the hope of recovery.

On 19 July 1942, Landeskogen was struck by a major fire that caused extensive damage to the main building. The patients had to be evacuated, and many were sent home or transferred to other sanatoria. To maintain a treatment facility, a temporary hospital was established at the Agricultural School in Bygland.

The fire caused a sudden interruption to daily operations, but it did not mark the end of Landeskogen’s activities. Following the fire, the first phase of reconstruction was carried out in 1942–43, allowing parts of the sanatorium operations to continue. The final phase of the reconstruction was completed between 1951 and 1953.

The reconstruction took place over several years and under changing economic and practical conditions. The result was a building that continued Landeskogen’s function as a treatment facility, while at the same time taking on a different appearance from the original sanatorium of 1916. The fire was therefore both a dramatic break and an important turning point in the history of the site.

Throughout the sanatorium’s existence, tuberculosis treatment underwent major changes. From the 1920s and 1930s, various forms of collapse therapy and surgical procedures were introduced for some patients as a supplement to traditional sanatorium treatment. The greatest change came after the Second World War, when effective tuberculosis medicines made it possible to treat the disease far more successfully. Over time, the need for long stays at sanatoriums declined, and treatment could increasingly be provided in hospitals and within patients’ local communities.

When sanatorium operations ended in 1961, an important chapter in Norwegian healthcare history came to an end. For nearly half a century, Landeskogen had been a place where thousands of people received treatment, and where generations of employees devoted their work to the fight against tuberculosis. However, the buildings remained well suited to new social purposes, and Landeskogen’s history entered a new chapter.

When the sanatorium closed in 1961, Landeskogen took on a new role as a home for people with intellectual disabilities. From 1962, the institution was operated by the Norwegian Diaconal Federation (Diakonforbundet) as a branch of Nærlandsheimen in Jæren. Due to the considerable geographical distance, Landeskogen had its own local director responsible for the daily operation.

During this period, the institution was known by several different terms, reflecting changing views of disability, medical terminology, and society’s understanding of care. From 1962, it was referred to as a “home for the feeble-minded” (Heim for åndssvake), later as a “home for the mentally deficient” (Heim for evneveike), and subsequently as a “home for the mentally retarded” (Heim for psykisk utviklingshemmede). These changing terms reflect broader developments in language, attitudes, and care policies during the second half of the 20th century.

In 1974, Landeskogen was organizationally separated from Nærlandsheimen and became an independent institution, while Diakonforbundet continued as the operator. Later, Aust-Agder County Municipality assumed responsibility for the operation.

During this period, Landeskogen was both a home, a workplace, and a care environment for many people. At its peak, around 180 residents lived at the institution, which employed approximately 90 staff members. The institution had its own departments, workshops, communal areas, and a wide range of professional and practical functions. For many of the residents, Landeskogen was their home for much of their lives, while the institution was also a significant workplace and an important part of the local community.

Already in the 1980s, discussions began about the future of large residential care institutions. New professional and political approaches placed greater emphasis on inclusion, smaller residential units and services closer to each person’s local community. These changes led to major reforms in services for people with intellectual disabilities, and Landeskogen’s role as an institution gradually came to an end.

When the institution closed in 1991, another chapter in Landeskogen’s history was over. Once again, the buildings were ready for a new social purpose – this time as a reception centre for people seeking refuge.

After the institutional care services for people with intellectual disabilities ended in 1991, Landeskogen took on a new function as a refugee reception centre. The former patient and resident rooms were put back into use, this time as temporary accommodation for people who had come to Norway after fleeing war and conflicts.

However, the refugee reception centre did not become as permanent and long-lasting an activity as the earlier institutional periods at Landeskogen. Operations varied over time, with changing needs and several rounds of discussions about how the historic buildings should be used in the future.

In 1998, Bygland Municipality took over ownership of the property, making the question of Landeskogen’s future use even more pressing. The municipality had to deal with a large historic complex with considerable operational and maintenance requirements, while also seeking to find a new socially valuable purpose for the buildings.

As a refugee reception centre, Landeskogen once again became a place where people lived for extended periods, but with a completely different background from earlier generations of residents. The historic rooms and common areas acquired new stories, and the site became a meeting place between people with different languages, cultures, and life experiences.

When the reception centre operations eventually ended, Landeskogen faced its greatest turning point since the beginning of institutional use. After almost 90 years of continuous use as a sanatorium, a residential care institution, and a reception centre, the question was no longer only what activities the buildings should accommodate, but whether they could be preserved at all.

Already in the 1980s, discussions began about the future of Landeskogen. Society’s view of large institutions was changing, and new ideas about integration, smaller living arrangements and services closer to people’s local communities challenged the traditional institutional model.

When the institution for people with intellectual disabilities was closed in 1991, Landeskogen had to find a new role. The refugee reception centre established from 1992 gave the buildings a new purpose, but operations were intermittent and shaped by changing needs. At the same time, discussions continued about how the large historic complex should be used in the future.

When Bygland Municipality took over ownership of the property in 1998, the question of future use became even more pressing. The municipality assumed responsibility for a large historic complex with significant cultural values, but also considerable challenges related to operation, maintenance and finding suitable uses.

In 2009, Bygland Municipality decided to demolish the main building at Landeskogen. The decision represented a serious threat that the most important part of the historic sanatorium complex could be lost. The main building was not only the largest structure on the site, but also the very symbol of Landeskogen’s history through almost a century.

However, the demolition was never carried out. Instead, efforts continued to find new possibilities for the property. In 2010, Landeskogen entered a new phase through the establishment of Landeskogen Peace Center, and the buildings were once again put into use for a socially oriented purpose.

The period from the 1980s to 2010 represents a decisive turning point in Landeskogen’s history. After almost a century of continuous institutional use, the future was uncertain, but the historic buildings were preserved and able to enter a new phase.

In 2010, Landeskogen entered a new phase through the establishment of Landeskogen Peace Center. After several years of uncertainty about the future of the complex, the historic buildings were once again filled with activity and people.

In many ways, Landeskogen Peace Center continued a long tradition of Landeskogen as a place for encounters and exchange. Through courses, events, international cooperation and various activities, the site gained a new social role, while the historic buildings were maintained and kept in active use.

During parts of this period, other activities were also explored on the property, including an elk park. This illustrates how Landeskogen continued to be a place in development, where different ideas for future use were tested and explored.

From 2020, much of the activity was reduced due to the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions on travel and international activities. This gave the situation a particular historical significance at Landeskogen: A complex originally built as a response to a serious and contagious disease was itself affected by the consequences of a new global health crisis. As during the sanatorium period, the pandemic demonstrated how disease can influence society, meeting places and people’s ability to gather.

When the municipality was offered the opportunity to buy the property back in 2025, discussions about Landeskogen’s future began once again. Bygland Municipality invited proposals through a concept competition to explore new ideas for the continued use of the historic complex.

This process led to the next chapter in Landeskogen’s history: the establishment of Landeskogen Kunstsanatorium.