SUSTAINABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT PROJECT: Vulkan, Oslo. The main axis of the Vulkan development, seen from the North.

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1 The main axis of the Vulkan development, seen from the North. Vulkan is the name of the former industrial area on the western bank of Akerselva river, north of Møllerveien road. The area has been transformed and revitalised from 2004 by Aspelin Ramm and Anthon B Nilsen property developers, based on an overall plan by LPO architects. The area is a fusion of culture and creative businesses with schools, hotels, Oslo s first food market hall, restaurants, bars, residential blocks, offices and shops, plus premises for concerts, dance and sport. This is a full-scale example of sustainable urban development, which amongst other things, is based on the idea of sharing of land and resources in a dense and multifunctional area, making it virtually selfsufficient in energy for heating and cooling.

2 Vulkan. Enhancing property values, properly Aspelin Ramm is a solid and responsible developer of urban spaces and properties, who aims to create attractive urban environments. We want the buildings and the spaces between them to form valuable elements in the landscape and the urban picture. Our goal of reducing energy consumption is achieved by building better and by facilitating sharing. Aspelin Ramm has been involved in the development of the harbour gentrifications of Tjuvholmen in Oslo and the Union Brygge development in Drammen, complex projects that has made a major impact on the urban environments and the attractiveness of the two cities. Good cities are distinguished by good buildings and integrated urban spaces, and responsibility involves emphasising both of these qualities. Good architecture, the use of durable high-quality materials and respect for the environment and our surroundings are our hallmarks. Our business is largely focused on projects in the Oslo region, as well as in Gothenburg and Stockholm. Aspelin Ramm Eiendom AS Vulkan 16, 0178 Oslo Postboks 389 Sentrum, 0102 Oslo Norway Tel: [email protected] aspelinramm.no vulkanoslo.no mathallen.no

3 Urban planning and zoning The story of the Akerselva river, Nedre Foss waterfall and Vulkan area is the history of Oslo. The mine in Akersberget across the street is the oldest in the country and was operated until At the same time, there was a mill operating at Nedre Foss, the lowest waterfall of the Akerselva river. In the same area there has later been a cement factory, brickworks, sawmill and chair factory, as well as Oslo's first common bathhouse. In 1873 the Vulkan Jernstøberi company acquired the area, having taken its name from the Roman god Vulcanus, the god of fire and forges. The buildings in the area, which are from the cast iron era, were all erected in the years after The foundry specialised in steel bridges for rail and road, but is also known for the dome of the old Colosseum cinema. When Akerselva River Environmental Park was established in 1986 as a municipal development organisation for the entire river area, the Vulkan area had been used for storage and premises for craft businesses, as foundry production ended in the 1960s. When the Nedre Foss waterfall area, located right on the other side of the river, is completed as a green area, it will be the last piece of the municipality's goal for a continuous park along the Akerselva river. For the last fifty years, this has probably been one of Oslo's darkest, least accessible and most anonymous downtown areas. The Vulkan area is "sandwiched" between Maridalsveien road in the west and Akerselva river in the east. The landscape profile cross section through the plot is dramatic, with a height difference of 12 meters; ie more than 4 stories. The former industrial buildings formed an over two hundred meters long wall facing the river. LPO Architects won a planning competitive tender in 2004 and their winning project formed the basis for a new plan with the objectives of culture, food, education and housing, based on the reuse of existing buildings and new construction. Through new urban planning and zoning, the area would be linked to the surrounding city. The whole development started about the same time as creative industries became a central concept within urban development consciousness and the objective of closer integration between art, design, architecture and technology was thus central. The fundamental idea was to make a landscape breach from Maridalsveien road, across the area and over to the Grünerløkka area, connecting two neighbourhoods that was never before connected. A wide set of steps would climb the height difference up towards Maridalsveien road. This "landscape breach" constitutes the plan's key point, opening up the area and giving the city new interconnections. The zoning plan supports the adoption of culture businesses, such that the concept of culture in a broader sense could strengthen the area's identity and profile. The plan was divided into stages so that the site could be developed over time, at the same time as it was gradually adopted. This way, time and space was created to look for the right projects to complete the area within the vision. Based on the statement "different thinking requires different space", the development of the Vulkan area invoked thinking of contrasts between preservation and new construction, unique expressions, contrasting compositions, technological innovations, and life at street level. Among the many new enterprises at the Vulkan area, there is one in a class by itself. PS:hotel works as a tool for people who need advice, knowledge and experience on their way into full employment, in an inclusive workplace. PS:hotel takes the meaning of human service to new heights. Your presence as a guest is particularly meaningful, because you are essential for the training. Whaler built in 1883 by Vulkan Jernstöperi & Mek Verksted (Cast Iron & Mechanical Workshop). The boat was launched from the workshop into the adjacent Akerselva river, which at that time was navigable.

4 Architecture and landscape plan The Vulkan area is an urban plan without a "signature building". Emphasis is placed on the surviving buildings retaining their authenticity as historic objects, but in new use. The principle is mixing new and old in an understandable context looking for modern solutions. With restoration, emphasis is placed on showing what has been done of construction nature or character. New construction elements are not "camouflaged" as old. The history of the industrial belt along the Akerselva river is an important part of the area's identity. This has inspired materials and detailing. The spaces between the buildings are part of the overall architecture project, and the buildings' contents and activities are visible both day and night. The Scandic Vulkan hotel links the Søndre block to Maridalsveien road in the form of a chrome "rake", which would grab passers-by along this street. Parts of this jointed and articulated body of buildings (towards the Vulkan area) was aesthetically separated with colour schemes to further dissolve the building volume. The Søndre block and the Scandic Vulkan hotel are designed by Niels Torp Architects. Kristin Jarmund Architects designed the Westerdals Oslo School of Arts, Communication and Technology. The glass rim around the building makes it possible to use the lower storey for lecturing purposes. In the daytime, light streams into the room from above and in the evenings the opening is illuminated from underneath. This creates a building that stands and vibrates in its own force field. LPO Architects designed Bellona House. The building's slender shape along the new transverse axis provides an excellent exposure to the south, and the façade s unique shape features large solar collectors, which contribute to the area s modern energy solutions. The roof is used as a café in the summer. Vulkan Arena is also designed by LPO Architects and stands out as a "box" in Corten steel, with steps as an important integral function between Maridalsveien road at the top and the Vulkan area at the bottom. The building houses a flexible hall for concerts and events on the main level, with conference rooms upstairs and flexible premises for meetings and catering downstairs. The Nordre block with parking and bicycle storage (4 stories), commercial and office space plus 117 dwellings with associated roof gardens, was also designed by LPO Architects. Mathallen Oslo is one of Europe s many new or revitalized market halls, that offers more than a wide selection of fresh food: Mathallen Oslo is a venue for culinary activities. Dansens Hus is Norway s national stage for dance. The two buildings were both re-designed by LPO Architects. The outdoor area at Vulkan is available to everyone and has an overall design with a continuous ground and a distinct lighting concept. It is dense and urban, consisting of sequences that alternate between dense and more open. The landscape plan links the Vulkan area and the new walkway along the Akerselva river to the Kuba area. To the west lies the amphitheatre. An arrangement of ramps, stairs and amphitheatre handles the height difference between the Vulkan and Kuba areas and creates an open and inviting situation for both transit and residence. An elevator connects the Vulkan area and Maridalsveien road (12 meter height difference). Plot Size: 1.6 hectares New construction area (after 2004): 54,466 sqm Rehabilitated area: 17,099 sqm Mathallen 4,468 sqm Dansens Hus 3,450 sqm New Broverkstedet 9,181 sqm Total building area: 71,565 sqm - 2 hotels, 180 rooms, 376 beds dwellings - 2 schools, approximately 700 students parking spaces for bicycles parking spaces for cars - 53 charging stations for electrical vehicles

5 Westerdals Oslo School of Arts, Comm. and Tech. Nordre block, seen from one of the plazas. Scandic Vulkan and Vulkan Arena. The breach connecting the area to the city. Front-plaza of the Market hall and Dance stage. Area vista.

6 Energy and Environment Fundamental for the Vulkan area s environmental thinking is sharing and mixing of functionality. The sharing of resources such as land, services and energy creates significant environmental benefits as well as contributing to increased benefits for stakeholders. Mono-functional office parks would likely have the difficulty utilising excess heat in summer, because there is no need for this energy. An area which additionally has hotels and residences will need heat (for water) in the warmer season; when there is much excess heat from for example cooling of office spaces. The new buildings in the Vulkan area all have an energy classification A or B, but require some heat and cooling to protect the indoor climate. The area s energy plant produces cooling (ice water) and recycles all waste heat (also from the buildings). In addition to this, renewable heating and cooling from heat pumps and geothermal wells is produced and on sunny days solar heated water is collected from the solar collectors in the Bellona House facade. The energy unit has an expected annual production of cooling and heating of about 6 GWhr, supplying about 55,000 square meters of housing and commercial buildings in Vulkan with locally produced and renewable heating and cooling. It is physically located in the basement of the Mathallen building. The heat and cooling is distributed to the buildings in pipes with warm or cold water respectively.the energy unit is based on heat pump technology. Altogether, there are 5 heat pumps installed with a total heat output of 1.5 MW and a total cooling capacity of 1.3 MW. In addition to this there is an ice bank installed that can provide 200kW for about 2 hours. The uptake of ambient energy occurs mainly from recovered process heat (cooling heat) and geothermal wells. Excess heat is used to charge up geothermal wells with heat, which is then taken out again when there is greater heat requirement in the winter. For more info, see The area's central location means that the bulk of passenger traffic is by foot, bicycle or public transport. To promote this, priority is placed on good connections and good signage plus both outside and inside bicycle parking. But the Vulkan area is not pedestrianized. Transportation needs are huge and trucks deliver and collect. Outdoors the area has no parking, but inside the spacious parking garage there is plenty of capacity, many charging stations and fast chargers for electric vehicles. The Vulkan area also shares the spaces and services for a smarter city. Examples of this thinking is that the breakfast and dinner restaurant at the PS:hotel is also used as a canteen for those working in the area. This frees space for office users, and the PS:hotel gets a larger turnover. Another example is the car sharing arrangement organised by Hertz Car Pool, where it is possible for anyone to rent cars (electric and hybrid) and vans on an hourly basis. If necessary the hotels rent conference spaces from Bellona, Dansens Hus or elsewhere in the area. The interaction between humans, animals, plants and insects is fascinating, and was the impetus to start with urban beekeeping in Beehives on the roof of the Dansens Hus lobby were designed by Snøhetta architects. Vulkan Bigård apiary brings more bees to the city and gives visitors information and involvement of bees. In the area along the Akerselva river and around the Vulkan area, the bees find good sources of pollen, nectar and water, which is their food, and which in the summer turns into Vulkan honey. On the roof of the Nordre block there are roof gardens and roof terraces for use by residents, but also a larger spice garden that is used for cultivation for Restaurant Kontrast on the lower floors of the building. And in the river itself a salmon staircase has been constructed, to help spawning.

7 The apiary, designed by Snøhetta architects. Car pool in the parking house. The facade is both a sun catcher and heat storer. A staircase to help fish spawn further upstream Roof gardens, for cultivation and leisure. Indoor bicycle parking in the parking house.

8 Experiences and consequences When development began, we were uncertain about what would fit here, and what there would be a market for. We therefore succeeded in getting a flexible zoning plan, considering the final purpose, under the motto; one does not adopt the future, but plans for the unplanned. The development process has been characterized by fruitful dialogue and cooperation between the municipalities and the developers. The importance of being able to make workarounds and changes has done wonders, as we have worked our way through the project. We placed emphasis early on providing a high degree of attention about the area, while we developed, and we put a lot of effort into creating both a name and an identity that could position the area in the city. The environmental ambitions have certainly evolved through the project, fuelled by the cooperation with FutureBuilt and Enova that started with the Bellona-building. We placed great emphasis on our ambition to create a city within a city. We believe that attractive urban areas are characterized by multi-functionality and diversity. The Vulkan area's attractiveness is greatly influenced by the historic buildings; particularly Dansens Hus and Mathallen. Through the work we have strengthened our attitude that architectural heritage should be used, and not preserved. It is the mix of functions that gives the area character, atmosphere and attractiveness; but complex development is also very capital intensive. A long-term view (= patience) is a necessity. In this way, the Vulkan area became our best urban development laboratory, so far.