Asker

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Category Urban - architectural

Team representative Architect - urban planner - landscape architect 

Location Dikemark - Asker municipality

Population Asker 57,238 - Dikemark 1,300

Strategic site 1500 ha - Project site 11 ha

Site proposed by Asker municipality, Oslo University Hospital and Oslo municipality

Owner(s) of the site Oslo municipality, Oslo University Hospital

Commision after competition Zoning plan, possibility for a building commission

 

More Information

How can the site contribute to the adaptable city?

Peacefully situated in pastoral surroundings just outside of the city, Dikemark was considered the perfect location for Oslo’s new psychiatric hospital at the turn of the20th century. As its activity related to psychiatric treatment has been phased out over the years, today most of the buildings stand empty and have been listed for protection. Now the entire area needs to be adapted to a new time and filled with new content.

City strategy

Dikemark is in many ways a unique place within its regional context thanks to its preserved, landmark architecture, its picturesque landscape and its history and identity. Yet, in spite of all its qualities, Dikemark faces a great challenge as its hospital functions will be relocated to Oslo, rendering all buildings empty. How to ensure the development of a new and attractive society at Dikemark?
There is a strong wish in the municipality to establish a complete and viable society at Dikemark with jobs, private and public services.  

Site definition

Dikemark is a place with a strong identity, first and foremost related to its former use as a psychiatric hospital, but also in its architectural and spatial qualities. The site and its buildings is located in scenic surroundings by the Verkensvannet lake, encircled by forests and fields. 
An architectural landmark designed almost entirely by the architect Victor Nordan, and built between 1902 and 1934, Dikemark Hospital represents today a unique historical record of an era and moment in medical treatment. 
Within the project site there is about 20 patients and administrative buildings and 15 workshops. In addition, there is staff housing, a community house and a dormitory. Together the existing buildings on the site constitute approximately 80,000 m², of which the hospital buildings comprise less than 55,000 m2. 
Endowed with its own waterworks, power plant and surrounding farmland, Dikemark Hospital was almost a self-sustained community. During its heyday, it housed over 900 patients and had a staff of 1500 employees. 

Adaptability: the main challenges to take into account

For the overall plan competitors are asked to investigate a total development potential between 100 000 and 250 000 sq. m. of residential and mixed-use programs (existing buildings included). 
What types of functions can take place there? How to best make new use of the existing buildings?How to bring new life to the area? How to negotiate the issues of memory and preservation along with new use and adaption? Can Dikemark take on a new regional role?
The competition asks for innovative proposals that can open up for new possible futures for Dikemark.

Questions on the site

On page 19 of the competition program you talk about 'the overall plan' and how it has a development potential between 100,000 and 250,000 square meters. However, and despite the size of the 'central area' (marked with yellow on page 18), it is rather unclear what is meant by 'overall area'. Is the overall plan the one marked red on page 18?

By the phrase "the overall plan" we mean the area within the red line. 

On the document ASKER-NO-C-M1-2, we observe a black dotted line. Is it a futur railroad with a station in Asker? Is it planned to create a closer station to Dikemark?

The black, dotted line, stretching from north, trough Asker centre and southwards, represents the railroad tracks in Asker. The railroad runs through a tunnel 80 m below the surface of Dikemark. There will not be established a railroad stop at DIkemark due to this vertical distance. Public transportation to Dikemark is carried out by bus. The aim is to increase the bus capacity within the municipality. 

On the dxf file there is a layer LAYER-004110. It surrounds certain areas that when overlapped with the google earth image seem to be in modification (possible construction of roads). Could you clarify the status of those lands?

Construction of water- and sewage pipes. The work is now complete.

Which of the existing buildings will remain under Ullevål Sykehus as institutions?

None of the existing buildings will remain as insitutions for Oslo University Hospital. All hospital activity will be relocated.

Can the lake be used for bathing?

Yes. The lake is a popular bathing site.

Is there any possibility of entering the buildings at Dikemark?

Most buildings are not open to the public. The exceptions are: the Administration building (still in operation for OUS); the Main Kitchen (holds an indian restaurant today); the Dikemark Museum  (Visit by appointment); the Gallery Issa (inside the Laundry building. Visit by appointment).
Still, we would in any case encourage you to go to Dikemark and experience the landscape and the spatial qualities of the site.

The existing building is 80,000 m2 - is this for the overall plan or for the central plan?

The 80,000 sqm of existing buildings counts for the buildings within the area marked with the red line; reffered to in the program as the overall plan.

Is it possible to obtain a square meter overview of all the hospital buildings individually within the overall plan?

A file with the exact sqm overview will be uploaded to the server with the competition files, in the “additional docs” folder.

There is a part of the project area that does not appear in the dwg plan given where the building 18 and 21 are located. Should we just avoid developing the program in that area or is it possible to have that part of the plan given in another dwg?

An updated DXF file, including the missing areas, is now uploaded. File name is omrdik.DXF

Is posible to get all *.pdf site files as *.dwg format? Thank you in advance.

All the pdfs, that shows different views (in different scales) of the project site, can be "extracted" from the main DXF. The DXF contains all the information necessary to create these views.

What`s the population in Dikemark today?

1,300 people live in the Dikemark area. 600 people in connection with the hospital activity.

Could you tell us if bluidings Nº05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 20 are currently in use? If it is like that, which are the uses of these buildings?

Buildings 05, 06, 07, 11, 12, 16 (only partly), 17 and 20 are currently in use.

How many people live within a 2 km radius from Dikemark?

3362

How many people live within a 10 km radius from Dikemark?

It is about 10 km to the northeast border of Asker kommune and closer in the other directions, so the numbers will be approximately the same as for the municipality of Asker

What is the demography like in Dikemark (elderly/children/working age/ethnic groups/religion etc)?

See below the composition of ages at Dikemark. Unfortunately we don’t have information about ethnic groups and religion.

 

 

Radius 2 km fra Dikemark Central area

 

Birth

Whoman

Man

1913

1

 

1914

1

 

1918

1

 

1919

1

 

1920

3

1

1921

2

 

1922

1

1

1923

5

3

1924

2

2

1925

2

1

1926

2

3

1927

9

1

1928

9

3

1929

1

1

1930

4

4

1931

4

2

1932

6

5

1933

6

5

1934

5

1

1935

5

6

1936

6

7

1937

2

3

1938

9

5

1939

10

4

1940

8

6

1941

5

5

1942

6

5

1943

8

8

1944

9

13

1945

8

10

1946

9

16

1947

13

12

1948

14

11

1949

10

11

1950

4

13

1951

15

14

1952

14

15

1953

17

23

1954

22

24

1955

19

25

1956

20

22

1957

17

32

1958

22

27

1959

28

28

1960

36

26

1961

20

24

1962

32

33

1963

38

29

1964

37

38

1965

40

36

1966

37

38

1967

36

39

1968

35

30

1969

34

38

1970

32

30

1971

32

23

1972

24

28

1973

19

23

1974

28

20

1975

19

22

1976

26

22

1977

20

19

1978

13

21

1979

23

19

1980

15

15

1981

12

17

1982

17

12

1983

17

8

1984

15

14

1985

9

16

1986

8

17

1987

23

16

1988

17

12

1989

22

17

1990

18

24

1991

24

24

1992

19

36

1993

30

24

1994

24

29

1995

35

42

1996

40

31

1997

32

32

1998

31

25

1999

28

27

2000

30

25

2001

32

19

2002

31

28

2003

27

28

2004

31

26

2005

20

21

2006

30

24

2007

25

26

2008

17

17

2009

21

30

2010

14

20

2011

17

18

2012

17

12

SUM

1694

1668

What type of farming takes place in Dikemark?

Today it’s only gras production.

Is there an existing strategy for developing bicycle roads between Asker and Dikemark/the other local centres?

Asker kommune has a bicycle strategy. Most of the bicycle roads between Dikemark and Asker, Heggedal and Liertoppen are established. There are only small parts that need to be planned and made.

Many of the buildings at Dikemark have verandas or extensions. Are these original design or later additions?

The verandas are part of the original design.

Is the water mill in use today?

It was in use approximately a year ago, but at the moment the water pipes are cut due to the new water pipe system. But the plan is to use it again.

On the Cad file we have, the last part of the competition area is missing.( Stinelokka) Is it possible to get the rest of the competition area?

An updated DXF file, including the missing areas, will be uploaded soon

On the Cad file we have, a part of the site is missing. (Stinelokka) Is it possible to get a Cad file that includes the entire area?

An updated DXF file, including the missing areas, is now uploaded. File name is omrdik.DXF

Is the digital document ment to be a summary of the content of the a1 beards, or does it need to consist of new material about the project?

The idea of to digital document is to explain the content of the project by means of texts, schemes and/or drawings. As it can be up to 7 pages, there is more space available for eventual additional schemes and text. However, it is up to the competing teams to decide whether this document should lnclude additional information, not already located on the A1 boards

The dwg map does not include the entire area included in the overall plan. There is a rather big part missing to the south. Could you please publish an updated dwg map which include the entire area?

An updated DXF file, including the missing areas, is now uploaded. File name is omrdik.DXF

Three of the institution-buildings (11: Hospitset, 13: Klosteret, 16 : Kringsjå) are listet for both interior and exterior protection. Is the complete interior listed or just parts of it? Is it possible to get drawings that shows the protection of the interior in these three buildings?

For these 3 buildings the exterior and interior is listed. This includes the main elements of the building meaning the construction, façade composition, plan, use of materials and surface treatment. Also included is building components as windows, doors, fire places, chimneys, mouldings and mounted interior elements as owens, cupboards and technical installations.

This site is connected to the following theme

Heritage of the Future

Heritage is generally thought to look back to the past, but conversely it could be said that it should look to the future. Heritage is usually considered to be extraordinary, but is there not a case for thinking about the definition of “ordinary heritage”? Heritage is customarily perceived as an architectural object, but this office will explore ways to “create heritage” in three types of context where it is in principle lacking: the transformation of orphan districts, the conversion of neglected buildings or plots, the redevelopment of abandoned industrial zones or enclaves.
It can be hypothesised that the more the city, in both its morphology and its functions, spans, recaptures and expresses the eras and phases of its development, the more it develops its capacity to adapt to change, its potential for urban adaptation and its ability to resist sudden crises. So the question is: does creating heritage mean increasing the capacity to adapt the future city? 

Questions on the site

You have to be connected –and therefore registered– to be able to ask a question.

Fr. 2 June 2023
Deadline for submitting questions

Fr. 16 June 2023
Deadline for answers

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