© Alessandro Bu

Since the beginning, it has been very interesting to discover how, despite the fact that we have reached such an advanced state of urbanity (meaning the way we produce our more or less shared space), it is still possible to scrape the bottom of the barrel and find residual urban spaces, with enormous, unexpressed potentials. In a world where design contaminates every possible field of technical knowledge and theoretical thinking, landfills still represent and exceptional void of intentions. The strategy of the Active Edge by 2A+B embodies Grønmo’s landfill as an urban organism able to constantly re-produce its own components (soil, landscapes, trash) and the relative network of socioeconomic processes behind it. More images and architects’ description after the break.

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Courtesy of Lendagar Arkitekter, Arcgency

Architect: MAPT = Lendager Arkitekter, Arcgency
Local Architects: Alliance arkitekter
Location: Aker brygge, Oslo
Built: 2010-2011
Client: Norwgian Property
Site Area: 2000 sqm
Project year: 2009
Photographs: Jiri Havran, Enya Aspen

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Courtesy of JVA

Architects: JVA
Location: Karl Johans gate, Oslo, Norway
Client: Tanum AS
Size: Bookstore ca. 750 sqm, Offices ca. 225 sqm
Completion: 2011
Consultants: RISS AS, Linda Knoph Vigsnæs/LYSSTOFF
Primary architects: Einar Jarmund, Håkon Vigsnæs, Alessandra Kosberg, Siv Hofsøy, Ane Sønderaal Tolfsen, Paul Henri-Hann, Jens Herman Næss
Photographs: Courtesy of JVA

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Aerial - Rendering by MIR

The Bispevika mixed-use development proposal by PUSHAK maximizes the views of the harbor and integrates passive design methods to minimize energy use. The proposal is part of an invited competition that will conclude in January 2012.

Architects: PUSHAK
Client: HAV Eiendom
Location: Bispevika, Oslo, Norway
Project Size: 35000 sqm
Project Status: Invited Competition Entry

Continue reading for more project details.

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KJARK - Benjamin Hummitzsc

Architects: Kristin Jarmund Architects
Location: Oslo, Norway
Client: Anthon B. Nilsen Eiendom AS
Project Year: 2011
Project Area: 4300 sqm
Photographs: KJARK – Benjamin Hummitzsc

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© Fantastic Norway

In the 70′s Oslo’s own “Man in Black”, Professor of Architecture Per Kartvedt , started his long lasting lecture series on cities, communities, myths and dreams. Per has since then been an influential character in contemporary architecture, both as principle of the architecture department at the University of Strathclyde and as teacher and supervisor on several different architecture schools in Europe. For a decade the slides from the lectures remained tucked away in an attic in Nesodden. Now the slides are projected once again in Slide City at Internasjonalen in Oslo. More information on the exhibition after the break. read more »

© Placebo Effects for A-lab

A-lab is currently working on a design proposal for an eco-cube for the UNION group which will be a pilot project for A-lab’s eco-BIM technology.

The Økern area of Oslo faces significant changes in the near future and is being developed as a new destination in the city. The new Økern center brings shopping, culture and housing to the area. Lørenveien 68 will function as a broker between the new Økern center and Løren’s established residential area. More images and project description after the break. read more »

Courtesy of JDS Architects

JDS Architects’ Holmenkollen Ski Jump in Oslo, Norway has been announced as the winner of the 2011 ECCS Structural Steel Design Award at the ECCS Congress in Postdam, Germany. The award recognizes outstanding design in steel construction emphasizing the many advantages of steel in construction, production, economy and architecture.

The European Steel Design Awards are given by the European Convention for Constructional Steelwork (ECCS) every two years to encourage the creative and outstanding use of steel in architecture and construction. For more information about ECCS, visit here.

A group of unassuming residential towers in Oslo’s Grorud Valley neighborhood have been transformed into the stars of Cold Mailman’s music video “Time is of the essence” directed by André Chocron.

Taking full advantage of the density of the towers, Chocron set up multiple cameras at various angles in order to shoot a sequence of time lapse videos from sundown to sunup. What looks like an intricately choreographed light show, is cleverly composited in post-production. Predictably, in the evening residents turned their lights on, and as the evening progressed turned them off. In order to create the dance of lights in similar effect to that of an equalizer, Chocron switches between the illuminated and darkened states in concert with the choreography of the song. The end result is an intriguing audiovisual composition.

© Jiri Havran

Architect: a-lab
Location: Oslo, Norway
Client: IT-Fornebu Eiendom
Landscape Design: Østengen & Bergo
Structural Engineer: Norconsult
M&E Services: Electro : Føyn Consult / Ventilation : Norconsult
Build Cost: 1,500 mill NOK
Project Area: 117,000 sqm
Photographs: Jiri Havran, Luis Fonseca

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© Jiri Havran

Architects: GASA Architects
Location: Oslo, Norway
Project Year: 2010
Project Area: 14,500 sqm
Photographs: Jiri Havran

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Activity plaza in Asker Centre’s new loop

Asker Municipality in Norway continues its urban development towards a larger, more dynamic city centre. DARK, ADEPT and a consultant team have just won the international competition for city development and expansion of Asker Centre. Their project proposal “In the Loop” presents a unified, urban city for sports and social experiences. More images and complete press release after the break. read more »

Courtesy of ctrl+n

The “Haugen” project is a proposal by Control New Arkitektur (ctrl+n) in order to start a discussion on how to make better use of the public spaces in Oslo, Norway all year round. So they are here to pose two questions. Firstly, how can we maintain such use throughout the rest of the year? Secondly, how can we offer some much needed rehearsal and performance space back to the city? This proposal will engage and evoke through taking us back to our parks all year round. More images and architects’ description after the break. read more »

© Iwan Baan

It was announced at a recent seminar, “Materials and Resistance” in Oslo, Norway, that the Holmenkollen Ski Jump, designed by JDS Architects, was the recipient for the Norwegian Steel Construction Prize 2011. A presentation of the winning project and award ceremony will take place under the Norwegian Ståldag (Steel Day), the 3rd of November 2011 at the Grand Hotel in Oslo. More images and description after the break. read more »

© Østengen & Bergo AS

The dead end Schandorff street in the centre of Oslo was converted from car parking lot to an urban green space, Schandorff Square, adding up to an existing green structure through an old cemetery in the east. The square was privately financed by developer Høegh Eiendom AS and completed in 2009 when it was donated to the municipality. The square is surrounded by well-known motives of Oslo: The Trinity Church in the south, and the Deichman Library’s pompous pillars in the east. The falling street Keysersgate opens a sight line from west.

Landscape Architect: Østengen & Bergo AS
Location: Akersgata 64-68 Oslo, Norway
Project Area: 2,500 sqm
Project Year: 2009
Photographs: Østengen & Bergo AS

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© Østengen & Bergo AS

The former school building was too small, and had to be replaced. The new building includes a large multipurpose sports hall, its own performance hall and an open library. Offices for the community culture school and part of the local council is also located here. The school houses 770 pupils from 1st to 10th grade. The facilities both indoor and outdoor will serve the whole community. The school is located to an almost flat site, slightly rising to the north, in a valley surrounded by hills. East of the site there are ravines with grassy slopes and valuable vegetation belts. Two power lines are crossing the area. With the largest line to the west, the project and the landscape design therefore pays more attention to the east. The vegetation belts in the east are reinforced and continue into the campus. Closer to the building, they get more cultured, and “finger-merged” with the building wings.

Landscape Architect: Østengen & Bergo AS
Location: Rommen, Oslo, Norway
Architect: L2 Arkitekter
Project Year: 2010
Photographs: Rolf Estensen, Espen Grønli, and Østengen & Bergo AS

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Courtesy of Reiulf Ramstad Architects

Reiulf Ramstad Architects will be hosting an exhibition that aims to explore the questions of this century that deal with the tension between local and global conditions of the natural and the artificial, between cyberspace and realspace, and between stillness and change.  Their ambition is to create a contemporary architecture-based analysis of the site, from which emerges a sensitive interpretation of these conditions, paving the way for architectural design.

Based on the uniqueness of each context, RRA hopes to establish a carefully chosen set of materials and spatial distribution characterized by each place and the intervention. Their projects are characterized by forms and innovative tectonic stress of a spatial continuity between exterior and interior landscapes.

The exhibition will take place this Friday, April 15, from 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm at La Galerie d’Architecture.

Courtesy of a-lab with COWI AS & Architectopia

This competition entry for the densification of the surburb of Furuset outside of Oslo, Norway comes from a-lab in collaboration with COWI AS and Architectopia. The goal of the project is toreduce the CO2 emission by 50% by the year 2030, Furuset will be a model project in sustainable urban development by increasing the density of the community with the addition of 2500 housing units and 1500 workspaces.

With a growing and diversifying population, the designers considered the kind of urban plan that is adaptive and stable enough to nurture the growth of the community developing in Furuset. The proposal looks forward to creating a strong identity that forms the framework for a high quality of life. exciting urban spaces, diversity, density and a healthy economy.

More on the development of this proposal after the break. read more »

In two new films Henning Larsen Architects puts focus on the users’ experience with two of their hospital buildings: The Radiation Therapy and the Research Institute at the Norwegian Radium Hospital in Oslo. Enjoy them!

© Reiulf Ramstad Architects

Architects: Reiulf Ramstad Architects
Location: Fagerborg, Oslo, Norway
Project area: 1,200 sqm
Project year: 2003 – 2010
Photographs: Thomas Bjørnflaten

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