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Architects: R21 Arkitekter
- Area: 1700 m²
- Year: 2013
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Photographs:Henrik Beck Kæmpe
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Manufacturers: Focus
Text description provided by the architects. This project relates to the ongoing densification of the detached house areas of Oslo and investigates how to densify these areas without compromising on architectural and existing qualities. The five single-family houses in Gregers Grams vei of Oslo are organized around a shared yard, which offer direct access to the residences.
The site is naturally south-sloping, and the parking area is built as a shared underground facility. The residences have a consistent design, both in material use and detailing. However, each house is customized to its specific location on the site, sunlight conditions, terrain and surrounding buildings, making each house unique. The gaps between the buildings provide varied views as well as private and semi-private outdoor spaces.
The compactness provides the houses with a good floor planning and energy efficiency. The floor plans all follow the same principle: living room and kitchen on the ground level, bedrooms on the second floor, and other rooms in the underground floor. A staircase with a ceiling-mounted fireplace separates living room and kitchen zones.
The underground floor features direct access to the parking spaces. The flat roofs hold private terraces, and each home has a ground level garden parcel. The dark bricks and the simple facade detailing create a precise shape and character, express weight and durability, and allow the five different volumes to emerge as the main elements of the complex.
The project received a honorable mention in the City of Oslo Architecture Award of 2014.
From the Jury’s assessment: “The single-family houses in Gregers Grams vei represent an innovative thoroughly planned densification project in a residential area outside the city centre. The houses are in an exemplary way, carefully and thoroughly modelled on the site. The organization around a common yard is successfully accomplished and provides distinctive qualities to the project.”
