Pasvik Grensestasjon Army Garrison in Sør-Varanger

How to make army Garrison in Sør-Varanger open to the surroundings and civil society?

TYPE OF PROJECT: Culture
LOCATION: Svanvik and Storskog, Sør-Varanger
CLIENT: The Norwegian Defence Estates Agency, NDEA
COLLABORATORS: Norconsult
SIZE: ca. 2500 m²
TIMEFRAME: 2010-2014
PROJECT STATUS: Completed

In 2010, A-lab won the competition for the design of two new garrisons in the Sør-Varanger region, near the Russian border. The garrisons’ primary function is to meet the Norwegian Border Ranger Company’s demands for a base that has to serve as a home, as well as to be an efficient instrument for ensuring preparedness in the field. The challenge was a novel one. How do we design garrisons that meet the Norwegian Armed Forces’ demand for rational logistics, while also signalling a military that is open, both with regards to the surroundings and to civilian society?

Civilian society meets the military

The primary design challenge was to satisfy users with many different needs, ranging from military personnel, who are stationed here long-term or short-term, to civilian employees and visitors.

All under one roof

Key functions are organised around an inner courtyard, a clearly defined common area that contrasts with the wilderness outside the garrison. The exterior has anonymous dark wooden panelling, while on the inside large sliding glass doors erase the distinction between the courtyard and the rooms and corridor facing it.

The garrison design has two floors. A large roof defines the courtyard and unifies the facility. The roof clearly identifies the main entrance, inviting visitors into the courtyard. In the immediate vicinity of the garrison are a kennel and a helicopter landing platform.

The heart of the building

The courtyard forms the heart of the building – this is the parade ground, where soldiers eat breakfast, engage in ball games, and repair equipment and vehicles. The garrison’s rooms for shared functions all face the courtyard. Sliding doors allow shared rooms to be opened onto the large common courtyard.

Plan 1: Work

All administration, management, work-related and common rooms are on the ground floor. Just behind the glass walls is a corridor that runs the perimeter of the courtyard, tying together these functions.

Plan 2: Living

The upper floor, which is designed to satisfy more private needs, contains living quarters, bathrooms, a gym, balconies and a relaxation zone. The bedrooms have identical floor plans, but their vertical placements vary. All rooms enjoy a view, either onto the surrounding wilderness or into the courtyard.