Storøykilen

Storøykilen is a new urban neighbourhood set within a rich and unique natural context – surroundings that have been a foundation for our landscape design.

The project establishes a living residential landscape on Fornebu where the everyday environment is characterized by close, sensory encounters with nature.

The six lush courtyards of Storøykilen serve as shared spaces for the residents. Spaces and meeting points are designed at a human scale to foster meetings, neighborliness, and safe local communities.

Each courtyard is designed with furniture and materials adapted to the building typology and includes integrated functions such as bicycle parking, nature-based play areas, and spaces for social interaction.

Nature-based rainwater management

Nature-based rainwater management is a central aspect of the design. With open solutions, water is directed through streets and courtyards into vegetated rain gardens, where it is delayed and cleansed – while contributing to the biodiversity.

Green roofs with local plant species provide larger areas for rainwater drainage while establishing habitats for wild pollinators, strengthening the biodiversity of the site.

This green infrastructure ensures a functional, flexible solution that reduces the risk of damage during heavy rainfall while adding a dynamic element to the landscape that changes expression with the seasons and weather.

Local city nature cultivated in “Spiren”

At Storøykilen, the landscape design is rooted in the site’s existing ecological conditions. Bordered by the Storøykilen Nature Reserve and the sea, these conditions are defined by the rich landscape characteristics of the Oslo Fjord islands with wetlands and high biodiversity.

Through the on-site pilot project “Spiren” – developed with U:Reist, Maverick Group, and Rebuilding – we explored new methods for how local plant species can be used when planning new areas – with the purpose of safeguarding local flora and fauna, keeping production local, and creating a distinct natural identity. Seeds were collected from the nearby nature reserve, cultivated locally, grown in “Spiren,” and later planted back into Storøykilen’s residential landscape and green roofs.

The pilot area has functioned as a test bed to identify resilient species and understand their soil and maintenance needs, with knowledge continuously documented throughout the process. Local residents have been actively involved in seed collection, sorting, and mapping – contributing to a place-based approach rooted in both ecological insight and community engagement.