Thriller: Will The National Theater become a part of Økern sentrum?

Økern is about to become the heart of the enormous transformation of Oslo’s east end. For several years, A-lab have been working with Økern Sentrum ANS and Sweco on the regulation of the area for Steen & Strøm and Storebrand. The newspaper Aftenposten reveals that the National Theater is considering moving into a temporary building that can be built at the todays rather greyish courtyard outside Tøyen Tower, much like The Shed in London, while the iconic building at Nationalteateret from 1899 is being renovated.

The theater’s director Marta Færevaag Hjelle says to the newspaper that because they will be in need of more space, they may look for a more permanent location in Økern after the renovation of their historic building is completed.

Let’s just imagine this possible scenario for a second: The overall design idea for Økern is to transform what is today a concrete jungle of an intersection into a vibrant new neighborhood with housing, cafés, shops and a stunning landscape design featuring trickling rivers and natural vegetation. Bringing a cultural hub like the National Theater to this area might write a new chapter in, not only Økern´s history, but also the history of Norway’s National Theater.