Grønneriet

Proposal for Car Free Oslo ,  NO 2017,  with De Gayardon Bureau

Year Round Park

There are very few public meeting spaces in Oslo which are shielded from the weather, most outdoor public spaces are used for a very short time in Spring, Summer and the beginning of Autumn. The Grønneriet would allow this period to extend in to Winter, guaranteeing a public space in Oslo centre for everyone all year round. The project offers a long needed green lung in an area where asphalt, stone and building mass have for so long dominated.

The Grønneriet will function as a green generator incrementally introducing more vegetation to Kvadraturen. Simultaneously becoming a symbol for the green shift Oslo is currently undergoing, a catalyst for a more lively, sustainable and engaged Oslo centre. The Grønneriet can be placed in many different locations around the city centre but we suggest the lower part of the Kvadraturen. This area has a good South Westerly positions and is one of the most important axes for creating contact between the new car free area of Oslo and the harbour

Description

Grønneriet ( the Greenery ) is a proposal for an indoor park built in Oslo City Centre. The Grønneriet is an urban tree nursery, glasshouse and meeting place in Kvadraturen, the planned car free area in central Oslo.It is designed as a flexible construction which can be adapted to different situations and houses a protected micro climate where people can meet in green surroundings.

 It is a sociable and educational meeting place available for everyone, irrespective of age, status or nationality.  It is imagined as a place to wander through, sit down, and enjoy the large space now available for everyone which was before only used by private car users.

Activating the Streetscape

Vegetation is planted and managed as a part of a social interchange and is available for all societal groups. There is an included possibility for extra functions to open and be included in the the structure and streetscape. The Grønneriet can become a whole new arena for knowledge and cultural exchange

As a part of the project resource and cooperative groups are established  with  the local governement, schools, the university, senior centres and other relevant organisations. The Grønneriet is easy to manage because it builds on existing knowledge already available amoung engaged citizens.

Construction and Material Choice

To cut the cost and construction time a standardised and accepted strucutre normally used in the agriculture sector can be ordered from a number of Nordic producers. The construction consists of a repetitve system in galvanised steel, covered by transparent  corrugated plastic. Planting beds made in timber filled with soil are the stabilising element, anchoring the structure. The whole system allows for quick transport and mounting at a reduced budget.