Furuset. Climate-friendly city development in Groruddalen, Oslo

Background

Furuset is a satellite city to Oslo, in Groruddalen, built in the 1970´s. Today Furuset has 9500 residents. The FutureBuilt area project has the same plan boundaries as the current rezoning work being done in the city. There are 1400 homes in this area with 3800 inhabitants. The population is multi-cultural, especially with regards to young people. The area has good public transit coverage with buses and trams, and a significant development potential at the transit terminal. Furuset is also a large green area, though the highway E6 creates a barrier between Furuset and Østmarka, a natural recreation area to the south. Between 2007 and 2013 Furuset was the focus of an initiative called Grorudalssatsingen.

Smart drabant i forkant (Revitalising the satellite city) is the vision chosen by the area. Revitalising the satellite city is a theme that has great transfer value for similar areas nationally and internationally. An important element in the project is that it will create new values for the people who live, work and visit Furuset.

Read more about Furuset as part of the Groruddalen Action Plan here.

Masterplan for climate-friendly city development at Furuset

In 2014 Plan- og bygningsetaten (Oslo´s city planning department) published their suggested plan for climate-effective city development at Furuset (Planforslag for klimaeffektiv byutvikling på Furuset). The area plan is an important governmental tool to ensure that the overall concept and guidelines for the individual properties contribute to a climate-friendly city development. The planning proposal´s principles for city development are also in line with FutureBuilt´s criteria on climate-friendly area development.

Architecture and urban design

The central concept of the plan is to establish two intersecting urban spaces. A new ‘town street’ will create an urban structure in the east-west direction, while a cohesive park throughway will be established for north-south communication. The establishment of a cohesive blue-green structure with natural stormwater systems and re-opened streams is a central element in upgrading the outdoor spaces. Quality standards ensure varied residential buildings with high architectural quality. The square Trygve Lies plass is located where the two town spaces meet and forms the heart of the plan.

The plan will be presented both with and without a lid over the E6 highway. Depending on the inclusion of the lid, the final plan will comprise 1700 to 2300 homes and 2000 to 3400 workplaces.

Transport

The new development at Furuset is situated next to an existing, established and effective public transport hub. In the future pedestrians, bicycles and public transport will be prioritised, including new bicycle paths and a potential future new metro line. Car transport will be reduced by offering fewer parking facilities. Trygve Lies plass is a transportation hub today and will be strengthened further with a new mobility facility. The plan is to move the cars underground, set up electric charging points for cars and bicycles and build a bicycle parking facility. The result will be a lively urban area where it will be more attractive to meet and travel by environmentally friendly means.

Energy

Energy use in the buildings will be reduced through guidelines in the quality program for the area and the use of greenhouse gas accounting (klimagassregnskap) as management tools. The energy supply will be smarter and more environmentally friendly by establishing a district heating system that will also make use of excess heat generated in the area. The solution that is chosen will be economically feasible, technically innovative, attractive for property owners and tenants, and will be built in stages in step with the development of the area.

An ambitious model project

The Furuset project will show the way, engage and create solutions for the future. The action plan for the Furuset project area explains how this goal can be achieved through the project´s vision, goals, strategies and suggested prioritised projects. The document has been developed by the project group for FutureBuilt and is anchored in the city council´s committee for FutureBuilt Oslo.

Three core values form the foundation of the city council´s work with this model project. Firstly the project will be innovative in the fields of city planning, technology choice, material use and methods. Secondly, the work to achieve the goals at Furuset will be prioritised by all involved parties.

Five prioritised projects

Five prioritised projects will form the starting point for the desired development of the area. The projects have been chosen on the basis of feasibility and the effect the initiatives are expected to have on greenhouse gas emissions, the overall project goals, and the potential for learning to be transferred to other projects. The city council is central to the execution of these projects, and through the projects they will lead the way in defining the desired development of the area.

1) Climate-friendly building yard: In this project the city council will test out new ways of developing its own properties that contribute to climate-friendly city development

2) Trygve Lies plass: This project will contribute to make the spaces Bygata and Trygve Lies plass attractive to inhabitants and visitors to Furuset. The project will show in practice how pedestrians, cyclists and collective transport can be given clear priority.

3) Energy solutions: A climate-friendly, economically-viable, innovative and attractive energy solution for the area that uses excess heat and delivers green comfort to its users.

4)  New school

5) New nursing home

Both the buildings will be FutureBuilt projects and include new elements defining how the city council can be a driver for innovative processes and solutions.

PROJECT DETAILS