Way out on the island of Odderøya in Kristiansand, Norway, where the sea meets the land, Kilden Cultural Centre is gradually taking shape. Its impressive oak walls will provide a fitting home for the Agder Theatre, Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra, the Sør Opera and the Cultural Centre. When the doors open in 2012, it will be a centre of dramatic art for the entire south coast of Norway.
A whole symphony of engineers, architects, joiners, plasterers, acoustic engineers, electricians and plumbers from all over the world have been engaged on the project. Faveo's project manager has acted as the conductor and an important driving force on the construction site.
"Kilden is the most complex Norwegian cultural project after the Oslo Opera," says Ernst Aukland, Managing Director of the Kilden project.
"Faveo has done a good job and has put a lot of thought into the composition of the various project teams. This has created a good project culture. The approach is good, but at the end of the day it all comes down to the people involved. Faveo's project manager, Per Egil Steen, is an incredibly committed and competent project manager, with a unique overall view of and control over the processes taking place. He has the ability to focus on each and every person involved in the project."
Major challenges
Per Egil Steen has a doctorate from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, and has many years’ experience as a project manager. This combination of an academic approach and practical experience is extremely useful when nearly 21,500 tonnes of concrete have to be reinforced with 918 kilometres of reinforcement rods, at the same time as the prestigious project is being closely followed by critical eyes. The demands on the acoustics, specially built areas and technical solutions mean that the concert hall is the greatest challenge in the entire project. Many of the workmen are having to face problems and solutions they have never experienced before.
"The core task of professional project management is to create an organisation and a project culture in which everyone is involved, is both able and willing to meet defined milestones, works well together and feels a common responsibility for quality and results. This is of fundamental importance in being able to produce the results that clients expect," says Per Egil Steen.
A common project culture is a critical success factor
The people working on the project come from many different countries, have different corporate cultures and a variety of occupations. Faveo regards project management as a profession, and believes that a common project culture must be established in order to guarantee success. Clear demands, areas of responsibility and roles lead to predictability, a sense of security and job satisfaction right from day one. Teams are put together so that the various skills complement each other with the aim that helping each other becomes the norm. Faveo creates arenas for communication and dialogue. The procedures and challenges of the project are discussed in formal and informal forums.
"As project manager, it is important for me to generate a sense of pride and ownership regarding Kilden," says Per Egil. He goes on to quote key words such as humility, respect, responsibility and integrity. "A systematic focus on openness, reliability and trust will generates the kind of commitment and extra effort that is necessary in order for Kilden to be a success," he adds.