Granfoss
Illustrations: A-Lab
Granfoss
Staking out a new approach to transforming cities
The transformation of Granfoss on behalf of Mustad Eiendom marks a new paradigm shift in our practice. Granfoss is an important part of the urban development project Lilleakerbyen. Reuse and resource-consciousness will be central in how we develop and design future cities from now on. This entails planning with reusing existing building mass and existing materials being defining elements in a project. We are lucky to work with a client who are passionate and who shares the spirit of innovation with us. Transformation of buildings has been going on for some years now, but to scale this up to a city level has never been attempted before in Norway. Granfoss is paving the way for future city transformations.
TYPE OF PROJECT: Zoning plan proposal
LOCATION: Lilleaker, Bærum
CLIENT: Mustad Eiendom AS
COLLABORATORS: Civitas and Grindaker
SIZE: 50 000 m2
TIMEFRAME: 2017-
PROJECT STATUS: Zoning plan proposal sent in 2025
Granfoss
Granfoss is part of Lilleaker, placed at a bottom of a valley, where Bærum meets Oslo. Today Granfoss mainly consist of office buildings. The area is cradled by a lush green forest and residential housings of the smaller scale. Historically, industry settled along the Lysaker river and this heritage is still present today.
The Lysaker station is not far from Granfoss, which makes commuting to both Oslo city center and Sandvika very practical and fast. The close proximity of the Lysaker river and important roads such as Vollsveien and Lilleakerveien, makes Granfoss an inherent part of Lilleakerbyen.
The river as a spatial actor
The proposal offers people access to different unique nature experiences along the Lysaker river. New nature trails and bridges will connect Granfoss better to its’ neighboring areas, while hospitality establishments, sports sites and small shops will make this area an attractive place to gather and visit. The river in this context is not just a green vein, it connects people together with history and gives the area a clear identity.
“We’re not just developing buildings, but a new neighborhood for new generations. The river and its’ landscape are our starting point and framework for this development. Which is why it has been important that Granfoss is developed with deep respect for nature and the area’s history. Granfoss will be a place with a clear identity where people can feel at home. ”
Olav Line, CEO at Mustad Eiendom
Sustainability built around ties to local history
Mustad Eiendom has been in the area for more than 150 years, and they are now laying the foundation for a neighborhood that will withstand another 150 years, now with a clearer and greener direction. The plan includes aiming to increase the amount of nature, in an effort to replenish green structures. In their own words “… history, nature and the people here are our most important resource, and we work with care for each one and for each meter”.
Timeless qualities
Pictured is the Lysaker river and Fåd, a transformed industrial building made into a recreation center. Fåd and its’ function is included in the future scenarios for Granfoss. The transformation was done by the very talented architects from KIMA.
Replenish nature
Part of the vision for Lilleakerbyen is that it will be a vibrant city, part of achieving this is to strengthen the nature. In Granfoss this is done by adding more green than it is today, which makes up a 200% increase in green areas.
Reuse and transformation as the heart of the project
What makes this project different from similar projects, is how the plan is based upon working with the existing buildings and combining reuse, rehabilitation and carefully placed new buildings. A large amount of the buildings will be rehabilitated and transformed for new usages and functions. This strategy cuts off 60% of climate emissions compared to the traditional way with demolition and constructing new ones. The project’s principles follow a circular philosophy – less demolition, reuse as much as possible of existing materials, choosing materials with low emissions throughout the life cycle.
The project demonstrates how reuse and transformation can be an inducing force within developing cities. We are working with the continuity of Granfoss’ soul in mind, through keeping materials with history in them and creating something new, with a smaller carbon footprint.
A-Lab architects
