2018 was a great year for architecture. The building industry is booming in Norway, a lot of public money is going into cultural buildings and infrastructure and the sale of new housing projects are up after a small dip in 2017. We believe 2019 be will an important year where we can make an impact and also get a good position for future projects. There is such momentum in the business at the moment, and everything is going fast.
We believe 2019 be will an important year where we can make an impact and also get a good position for future projects. There is such momentum in the business at the moment, and everything is going fast.
When the current boom has passed its peak, the realized projects will
be a good illustration of mediocre and ambitious architecture. The once that use this momentum to create good architecture instead of just capitalizing from it will continue to have enough work for years to come.
2019 will be the year where we get to realize several of the ambitious
and innovative projects we have been working on for years.
We have residential projects under construction, like Aveny Vest, that
will receive a BREEAM certification for their focus on sustainability. In Larvik, 2 hours south of Oslo, Grandkvartalet will revitalize the city center and open facades and urban squares for public functions.
In dense city structures we work mainly with rehabilitation of existing buildings with add-ons and infill, but we are also working on completing large city blocks like Meierikvartalet in Lillestrøm.
In Moss, just outside Oslo, we are turning shopping centers “insideout” to create better streets and squares for local and future inhabitants.
And in 2020 we will complete Økern Portal, the most sustainable office project Oslo has ever seen. The 7000 m² roof of the building will be complete with terraces, running track, allotment gardens, beehives and more.
In my opinion, 2018 was a great year for architecture. The building industry is booming in Norway, a lot of public money is going into cultural buildings and infrastructure and the sale of new housing projects are up after a small dip in 2017.
At the same time there is an increased focus on architecture and quality in the public debate and among potential buyers of new housing projects. The focus on sustainability and building certification seems to have reached the boardrooms of big developers. Sustainable projects are becoming the standard in most new projects in Norway.
Throughout 2018 we had almost 200 active projects, ranging from a 300 m² fish market to urban master plans containing thousands of housing units.
One of the most exciting projects we worked on last year is Agropolis, a city that will produce all of its own food and giving its future residents a chance to live in an urban context while getting a greater understanding of where their produce comes from.
Urbanization isn’t necessarily about tall buildings and paved surfaces but providing a social and sustainable way of life to ordinary people. By combining urbanization with a modern twist to traditional agriculture we think models like Agropolis will play an important part in how future cities will develop as an alternative to sub-urbanity.
