Norway in a Nutshell

Where we choose to call home is probably one of the most consequential decisions we make in this life. It's where we spend an unreasonable amount of our time, and we pour considerable energy into making it our own.

Yet in a country that stretches and winds its way across an entire edge of a continent, what gets built most is terraced housing and apartment blocks. Row houses string themselves across the length and breadth of Norway like beads on a necklace, from rural backroads to city suburbs, in every price range, style and shape imaginable. In that sense, they might just be the single best window we have into what Norwegians are actually like.

For many, a row house is the perfect first home, conveniently located near everything else life requires. But what does it say about us that this is how we choose to settle? Because however much you make the inside your own, from the outside you're just one of many. The ecosystems surrounding these homes follow a reliable script: playgrounds, garages and shops, all blending seamlessly into one another.

Is it simply a matter of convenience and accessibility, or is there something deeper going on, a pull toward being part of the crowd rather than standing apart from it? The way we choose to live, after all, gets pretty close to the core of what we actually are.

The phrase "Norway in a Nutshell" tends to conjure images of sweeping mountain plateaus, dramatic peaks and deep fjords.

If you really want to understand Norwegians, skip the fjords. Find a row house.