Aula

An anthropological design studio

Aula

Sara and Marie founded Aula in 2017 as a design studio informed by the cultural and social—the anthropological—dimensions of spaces and the objects within them. Since then, they have remained committed to their values and their investigation into “the relationship between people, space, and objects” .

“For one project, we did a lot of research into ornamentation,” Sara Gretteberg—one half of the interior design studio, Aula—tells me when we speak over video call.

“We found that, in the past, people would engrave patterns into almost everything, down to the smallest butter knife. Why? To us, it seemed that this practice demonstrated the value of everyday objects to all sorts of normal people throughout—and how we always inscribe meaning into the places in which we live.”

Sara and Marie Sagen are the two minds behind Aula, the interior design studio they founded in 2017. Together, they describe what they do as “anthropological” design.

It’s a term that shapes the thoughtful, philosophical, almost academic language they use—and that provides the central tenet of their methodology, which focuses on the relationship between “people, space, and objects”.

“For us, it means taking a broader view of a space and its design,” Sara explains. “When working with clients, we want to move beyond simple questions like ‘what colours or furniture do you like?’ Instead, we want to ask, ‘who is the client? what language and cultural symbols are relevant to them? How do they navigate their public and private roles?’ We use anthropology to unpeel this cultural onion, so to speak.”

This approach means that no two spaces that Aula designs are ever the same. “We’re not known for a single aesthetic—and we like that. Aesthetics as a function are connected to the perception of self and the position of oneself in the world. They reflect the ways we or our clients give meaning to spaces.”

Sara and Marie’s diverse training has given Aula the tools with which to unpeel this onion. Sara studied design at the Oslo National Academy of the Arts, while Marie completed postgraduate training in anthropology in Copenhagen. But it was when working together for a Danish design firm that they decided to form Aula.

“We had been working in the same office for two to three years and were both like, what’s next? The answer was Aula.”

Since that decision, Aula’s work has spanned product design, interior architecture, set design, and exhibitions—including Preg, the recent project that saw the two designers delve into the cultural history of ornamentation and create their own products based on traditional Norwegian designs.

“The two of us are really different—different backgrounds, different perspectives, different tastes!” Sara says. “But that’s a strength that always makes us try these new things. This way, we can test and challenge each other as we work. It’s a really dynamic approach, in which we’re always pushing each other to find new solutions.”

Yet, what they do have in common is their values.

“We’re continually wrestling with this paradox of living a simple, honest, and good life while wanting to do more, to grow and do better. A successful company doesn’t necessarily mean handling large revenues. Instead, we should adjust the perception of value.”

One value that should be reassessed, Sara says, is economic efficiency.

“We made a decision quite early on that all of our products would be made in Norway. Production often moves to places like Asia because it’s cheaper—but this is threatening the traditional crafts and knowledges that have grown here forever. Instead, we see local production as something we should actively support, despite the challenges.”

This conviction shapes the methods behind Aula’s product design. But it is just as important for the way they approach interior design too.

“During the design process, after we’ve understood our client’s position and needs, we work to find the materials, furniture, and customized solutions that work in the overall space. For those solutions, we strive to use only local production, along with durable materials that last.”

In this way, we come to the central value around which Aula defines their operations: leve tilstedeværende, or, in English, “living presence”. For Sara and Marie, this is a remedy against the “chase for renewal” which drives our culture. Rather than rushing to acquire new things, Sara says, we should attend to what is present before us, care for it, and make it last.

“Ultimately, we want to start a conversation about the meaning of our homes, public spaces, and the things with which we surround ourselves—from the interior architecture to the ornaments on butter knives. In a world intent on renewal, we need to step back and see these differently.”

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