Norsk versjon

Below is one translated article on Olav receiving the Building Protection Prize for 2004.

Expert receives building prize

by Niels Petter Vigerstøl

Article from Agderposten, 16. June 2004

Unofficial translation to English

Arendal: Olav H. Rygnestad from Valle received the Building Protection Prize from Aust-Agder county council yesterday. He is one of Norway's leading experts in restoring antique buildings.

For the first time in its 15-year history, the Building Protection Prize has been awarded to an active craftsman. The prize has been awarded for performing work towards the protection of many of our oldest buildings, rather than for one particular building.

The background for this change is that the prizewinner Olav H. Rygnestad from Valle has added great quality and value throughout his work, particularly in Setesdal. As such, the jury had no problems in choosing him as a clear winner among the five nominees for this year's prize.

30.000 kroner
Rygnestad received both a diploma and 30,000 kroner from the county council. A glass-framed diploma has replaced the usual copper plaque to be mounted on the prizewinner's building project. It would have required many copper plaques if all the buildings Rygnestad has worked on should be honoured.

"As the diploma is more personal than in previous years, you will have to mount it at home in your living room" said the county mayor Oddvar Skaiaa who presented the prize.

In his speech Skaiaa said that they have a very worthy winner this year, "In addition to being a solid and capable craftsman, Rygnestad has also a diploma in building restoration from a university college. In addition, he has travelled, worked and studied the topic in Russia and Canada also to learn other techniques and view restoration in a wider perspective" said Skaiaa.

He also referred to Rygnestad's engagement and enthusiasm in returning buildings to their original status, "He knows his work, and he knows without a doubt how to do it. At the moment he is working on a loft from the 1600's at Straume in Valle, and lofts in Valle and Bygland from the Middle Ages. At Bjørgum, which probably has the greatest collection of older buildings in the valley, Rygnestad has been in the forefront in returning these to their original status" said Skaiaa, who also emphasised that the prizewinner is a generous person with his time.

"He contributes to solving challenges in an appropriate manner. Olav H. Rygnestad is a corner stone of the community of craftsmen in Setesdal, and far beyond the local borders" said Skaiaa.