Bærum

How can the site contribute to the adaptable city?

The post-industrial area of Hamang in northern Sandvika, the urban centre of Bærum municipality, is about to undergo a fundamental transformation. The E16 highway, currently splitting the area, will be rerouted into a new tunnel, opening up for a new use of this central part of the city. Competitors are asked to propose a strategy for the development of a carbon neutral area in one of the most central nodes in the Oslo region. The proposals should present a concept for the program, landscape and built volume that give the site a new identity. The Sandvika river runs through the site and is a carrier of rich biodiversity. The city wants a plan that demonstrates how the river can be integrated into the urban fabric and utilized in a more active manner and at the same time offer protection to the local ecosystem. The competition seeks to find a strategy for the use of the waterway, including plans for infrastructure as well as new programs for the river and riverbed.  Climate change imposes restrictions on the flood-prone areas. An important part of the task is to find suitable programs and infrastructure adaptable to various water levels. 

City strategy

The municipality wants to use the competition to explore the site and city’s capacity for growth. At the same time a mix of demography and programs is essential. Who can live here? What can people do here? It’s important that the site responds to a regional context, but at the same time develop a local identity, complementing the other areas in Sandvika. The site is part of the program Futurebuilt, which aims for a carbon neutral urban development and competitors are encouraged to show how the ambition of climate neutrality can be met. This includes good strategies for transport, to facilitate people walking, cycling, using public transport and strategies for energy reduction and energy production.  

Site definition

Hamang can be described – historically and topographically – as Sandvika’s backyard. Hamang is located on a delta, separated from the rest of Sandvika by the river, the highway and the railroad. The river is the dominant element as it meanders through the area, and a verdant and rural presence is strongly felt here due to the green belt and the lush vegetation alongside parts of the river. The mix of new and old industrial buildings contributes to a uniquely different identity to this district. Hamangsletta is today characterized by a mixed program; partly industrial, educational, infrastructural, commercial and recreational. 

Adaptability: main challenges to take into account                                                                                                                         

The Hamang site’s main challenges regarding adaptability can be summarized in the following key points; the site’s ability to absorb growth, the site’s adaptability to Sandvika and the greater Oslo Region, how the flood restricted riverscape can be programmed, reuse of former industrial buildings and finally how one can introduce smaller temporary projects on site, adapting through time.