Developed by architects AHA+ and Solbjor Arkitekter, their ‘Harvest’ proposal was announced as one of the four finalists in the international competition Nordic Built Challenge for an extension of Postgirobygget, an existing high-rise building in Oslo. Going beyond BG14 and the refurbishment of Posthuset, their concept aims at becoming a new and innovative way to meet the challenges of tomorrow while ensuring financial and practical viability. More images and architects’ description after the break.
Our proposal provides a strategy that focuses on 3 main issues: How to expand existing building in most sustainable way on a small almost non existing site in a dense urban location; How to reconnect existing building to its surroundings and create new and attractive entrance; How to create a low threshold + active energy system that utilise the local and existing energy resources in the best possible way. By giving the right answers to these issues we create preconditions for optimized C2C strategy and enhance the flexibility of the office space in the building.
In order to balance costs with economic robustness we propose to expand the building on the north side of the BG14. This is the only rational and possible place to expand existing BG14 building. From existing 2000 working places we have created possibility for in total approx. 5000 working spaces and 21.000m2 additional spaces. Our proposal is to build highest wooden building structure in the world. This has some obvious environmental benefits but also strengthens iconic quality of the BG14 and creates new and global marketing possibilities. Wooden addition to existing building enhance It’s functionality, makes it smart and aesthetically appealing, a building in the best of the Nordic design tradition. We constructive studies believe this to be possible within existing technology.
Immediate urban surrounding of the entrance plaza is arguably one of Central Oslo’s most inhospitable seen from a pedestrian point of view. The entrance plaza is flanked by barriers. Fences, tramlines, a motorway and a huge roundabout bar pedestrian access. The street-fronts of the next-door neighbors are forbidding, isolating the BG14 entrance effectively from the teeming Central Station Plazas. Pedestrians are largely forced to use footbridges or underpasses. Our project proposes a NEW and inviting entrance area, that reconnects BG14 building to the neighbouring buildings and provide NEW and attractive mall address and public space.
Posthuset is not a conventional building. No ground areas are available for energy production; neither does the building have a large roof area. Is it possible to design house that is producer of energy? How to harvest and reuse energy that is generated by the use of the building its self and in the interaction between building and the elements? Biggest challenge is always not to produce enough energy but to manage to store it so that it can be used later. Our project proposes solution that makes this possible with “low threshold” technological solutions. By utilizing local resources and adapting to a local climatic condition we create possibility to achieve ambitious environmental and energy goals.
The proposed Active House Concept harvests energy. It feeds on excess heat trapped in the building as well as ambient energy at optimal times by means of storage techniques adapted to local conditions and opportunities. This is done to supply in situ renewable energy when most needed. The technology underpinning the concept is an energy-efficient and renewable energy system based on a unique dynamic thermal energy storage technology and an optimized control system.
The real challenge lies in proposing solutions that radically improve environmental performance while balancing costs with market willingness. We propose new facade solution based on cross laminated timber technology that will help owners to achieve zero emissions over its lifecycle. This choice of material not only on new part of the building but also on the existing facades towards south, east and west will improve reduction in carbon emissions for energy, materials and transportation. Our proposal enhances but also optimises the access of daylight in to the building. Developing further on some of the existing principles we propose solution that allows for variation on the glass surface area depending on orientation of the building. Total amount of glass area proposed in the wooden wall elements is on average around 25% of the facade surface.
BG14 has a large number of identical floors. With the proposed expansion of the building we optimize the floor plans in terms of area efficiency. We create flexible office space that can either be easily divided between various tenants or utilized by one larger tenant. If floors are used as mainly cell office plans we achieve approx 40 m2 per working place, 11 m2 for landscape office plans and for combination of these two we achieve 15 m2 per working space.
'Harvest' Nordic Built Challenge Finalist Proposal / AHA+ and SAAHA originally appeared on ArchDaily, the most visited architecture website on 22 May 2013.
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