HZA | Housing for Youth

Housing for Youth

Norwegian Architecture Prize 2017

Wooden project of the year 2017

Oslo Architecture prize Honourable mention 2018

WAF Highly commented 2018

The proposal's overall aim is to facilitate living quality parallel with housing quality. The list in this regard is long: Social outdoor areas designed for human the human scale, affordable housing without compromise to quality of life, energy-efficieniency, volume above area, resistant and robust materials reducing maintenance, accessibility for all, a site with an increased focus on facilitating pedestrians and cyclists.

The site is located in a valuable cultural environment with a landscape that is rich in narrative elements. The proposal's main intention is to protect and enhance the qualities of the site, introduce CLT house as a generator for the community and provide good, efficient and climate-friendly housing for young people just starting out.

Furuset, Norway

2013 - 2017

Ulsholtveien 31 is located at Furuset. It is a 5-10 minutes walk to Furuset centre and subway station. The property of 4.8 haa is very accessible surrounded by small houses residential area. The main act on site is placing the house volumes on the west side, creating an inner social path and releasing the rest of the garden for social use. Furthermore, minimizing parking places and emphasise the site as a bicycle zone.

Landscape

New housing units are added to the west side of the side. The buildings are assimilating to the sloping terrain and taking advantage of this. Semi-private and public outdoor spaces are created on the two-levelled garden.

Volume developement

New housing

The social aspect has been a priority throughout the project. Residential units consistently have all entrances from the inner residential path in order to form a living environment which has a unifying and strong social character.

Layout of modules

27 new apartments within 9 modular units are introduced in CLT – massive wood elements. Two and two modules are mirrored to each other creating common entrances to the house.

Each module contains three apartments, one three-bedroom, one two-bedroom and one single room. Apartments have diverse qualities and design, with an emphasis on volume and air. Skylights are adopted to utilize skylights good qualities to give the rooms better spread in daylight.

A fundamental principle for the design is two facades apartments, where part of the "social" rooms (dining / kitchen) facing the residential path, to create a facade with activity and people. To the west, the apartments gain great views, private outdoor space and balconies.