This Industrial Shipbuilding Neighborhood In Norway Is Getting A Makeover

In 2020, LondonOn, a collaborative group consisting of Haptic Architects, Morris+Company, TurnerWorks, Gort Scott, Elliott Wood and Urban Systems Design, with assistance from Vill, won a competition organized by the local government, the City Council of Bergen, to reinvent the Indre District of Laksevåg, a neighborhood in the city of Bergen in Vestland County, Norway. In Bergen's last industrial district, we find echoes of the old shipbuilding industry in the warehouses, docks and workers' homes. Taking into account the entities that already occupy the site – a mixture of heavy industry, social facilities, offices and cheap rental space – the collective intends to reuse as much as possible of the current structures to create two new spaces distinct audiences adjacent to the promenade that engage in a wide range of activities. These flexible spaces will accommodate not only existing production uses, but also leisure and play, such as weekly yoga classes, Sunday markets, summer events or night theatres. Dimitris Argyros, Associate Director of Haptic Architects, discusses the sustainable features of the project.

How does this project interact with water systems in terms of its architecture, layout and system design? What is the impact of the project on the hydrological landscape and the larger ecosystem?

The harbor water that runs along the northern shore is heavily polluted today, having been the center of the Norwegian shipping industry for centuries. Due to the high levels of chemical pollution and the concrete wall, the water is almost completely devoid of marine life. One of the driving features of the design of the Laksevåg master plan is to create a new ecological promenade along the water's edge. This is achieved by creating a new flood-resistant barrier to hold the new overhead walkway, which is made from a system of recycled steel enclosures. These perforated steel structures provide new habitat for fish and plant life and initiate the regeneration of the fjord as an ecosystem. They are also carbon neutral as they are produced from redundant steel bulkheads from the Norwegian offshore industry, including ship hulls and oil rigs. Reusing the material in this way also helps with the wider decommissioning and seabed cleanup underway in western Norway. The project also works with the ecology of fresh water, a natural mountain stream running through the site that has long been buried in a concrete pipe. The new master plan allows the creek to return to the surface and form a green refuge of reed beds in the very center of the city. As the site is adjacent to a migratory bird mating spot in the fjord, this new green space will improve the habitat available for seabirds in the city, as well as provide a recreational site for the people.

Are there plans to expand the project and its water systems in the future?

Although a pilot in Laksevåg, the same principle of recycling marine steel is being explored elsewhere in the city and around Norway in other port locations.

What resources and raw materials will be used?

Mainly existing building and shipyard structures such as docks and cranes and existing concrete infrastructure in the form of roads and road viaducts provide the majority of material resources in this 'Reuse First' strategy. Where new buildings or hard landscaping are required, recycled materials such as marine steel or reclaimed bricks, or sustainably sourced Norwegian timber are proposed.

How will they be used or manufactured? Please detail the processes involved.

The suitability of the existing structures on the site for reuse was established through a rigorous environmental and structural assessment at the design stage. It was calculated that concrete framed structures have the capacity to support additional loads for the development of infills, for example. Other existing buildings were tested to see what positive impact their massing had on the surrounding microclimate. The dock and parking areas were assessed to see what load of new building masses they could support without the need for new foundations. The net result was that only one redundant electrical infrastructure building was deemed unsuitable for retention. The increased floor areas and density on site required were achieved through adaptive reuse, infilling and infilling of empty sites.

Where will they be obtained or procured?

All new structures were sourced from locally grown Norway pine and spruce, which undergo processing into structural and cladding elements at various locations in Norway. Recycled marine steel is obtained from waste from the marine and offshore oil industry, which is very active in this part of Norway.