20.10.2023
Honors to SLA's car-free Gata Grønland at Landskapsarkitekturprisen 2023
We are proud to share that SLA, Fragment and The City of Oslo have received an honorable mention at The Norwegian Landscape Architecture Award 2023 for the successful work in reshaping Gata Grønland in Oslo into a lush and vibrant gathering place. The project is being honored for “(…) pointing towards what our cities can become.”
The Gata Grønland project was initiated in 2022 as an experiment to reimagine the main street without cars, putting pedestrians, cyclists, and public life at the forefront.
As the lead designer of the project, SLA undertook the challenge of re-imagining and transforming the bustling commuter route into a pedestrian and cyclist-friendly space where public life and nature flourishes. This primary focus led to the expansion of sidewalk zones accommodating dining spaces, outdoor furniture, and market stalls for local traders. The introduction of new city nature and informal seating opportunities immediately encourages exploration and play, making it a popular destination for both visitors and locals. At the same time, the lush project presented an entirely new perspective on how the streets of Oslo can look, feel, and function.
“The project is honored because of its good design and execution, but especially because it gives an insight into what our urban spaces become when you design for public life and not traffic. Transforming a car street into an urban space for people is a big change that is highly appreciated by the users. Varied vegetation, designed with several layers of awareness, provides greater qualities of experience and points towards what our cities can become.”
— From the jury's motivation
Drawing inspiration from the Norwegian lowlands, this redesigned street now has a sensuous and lush atmosphere. The project features flower meadows and 5-meter-high birch trees complemented by edible herbs and berry plants, as well as oak and alder trees. These elements carefully integrate with the pre-existing, mature linden trees, and create a lively, biodiverse environment where birdsong and butterflies can’t be missed. Sustainability and circular principles were a top priority in designing the space, with a strong emphasis on reusing existing materials and carefully considering the future use of newly purchased materials for the project.
The transformation of Gata Grønland was made possible through close collaboration with local stakeholders, which included one-on-one conversations and collective brainstorming sessions. It was designed in close collaboration with Fragment and the City of Oslo. The “car-free city life” concept builds on previous endeavors done by SLA including the conclusions of the ‘Action Plan for Increased Urban Life in Greenland and Tøyen,’ carried out in 2020-2021. The focus on city nature and biodiversity has garnered widespread popularity, turning Gata Grønland into a favored meeting place and a testament to the potential of urban development with a nature-based approach.
The temporary urban space at Gata Grønland was first installed for the summer of 2022. In June 2023, it was re-established with a range of upgrades, this time scheduled to stay in place until October 2024, allowing us to gather learnings from the winter season.
Project facts:
Place: Oslo, Norway
Year: 2022-2024
Client: The City of Oslo / Bykuben
Landscape architect and lead consultant: SLA
Citizen engagement: Fragment
Contractor: Agaia
Read more about the project here.
24.04.2024
SLA wins landscape for Norway's new Ibsen Library
We are very happy to share that SLA has won the assignment to develop and realize the landscape for Norway’s new Ibsen Library (Ibsensbiblioteket) in Skien.
16.04.2024
Downsview receives the 2024 National Urban Design Award
We are honored to share that our Downsview Framework Plan has won the 2024 National Urban Design Award – Canada’s premier award for planning and urban design.
15.04.2024
New National Method for Mapping of City Nature unveiled
We are happy to share that we are unveiling the new and updated version of our National Method for Mapping City Nature.
