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News: Snøhetta has designed a visual identity for Oslo‘s bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Snøhetta, an architecture and design firm in Oslo and New York, developed a design that combines geometric shapes taken from the letter O and the number zero, as well as forms that recur in the number two and the letter S.

The rings of the Olympic logo informed the repetition of circles and the choice of colour palette used to render the simple forms.

“The identity of Oslo 2022’s visual language honours the inherent simplicity and openness in Nordic culture,” said the designers in a statement.

“By balancing playful graphics and strict geometry, the identity represents both the celebration of the Games and the solid planning of the Norwegian bid.”

As part of the development process, Snøhetta worked with the bid team to create an initial identity without a logo for the funding application to the Norwegian government. The designers then created the logo and typography, which also included creating architectural elements and signage for a presentation during the recent Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.

The identity was finally applied to an application document submitted to the International Olympic Committee in March.

Some of the material created by the designers for the bid, including maps of the potential venues, was required to include content and colour coding determined by the IOC.

Branded material produced to demonstrate the application of the identity includes brochures, business cards, a website and a CD ROM, onto which the designers silkscreened the logo’s negative space in white, allowing the iridescent surface of the CDs to recreate the colours of the logo.

Oslo is competing with Kraków in Poland, Almaty in Kazakhstan, Lviv in Ukraine and the Chinese capital Beijing for the right to host the Games, with the winner due to be announced on 31 July 2015.

The sinuous Holmenkollen ski jump by JDS Architects would be one of the key venues for the Games should Oslo’s bid be successful.

Photography is by Erik Five Gunnerud.

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Oslo’s 2022 Winter Olympics bid appeared first on Dezeen.

A suspended steel staircase is completed by a piece of wooden furniture in this renovated Oslo loft by London studio Haptic (+ slideshow).

Haptic created the split-level Idunsgate apartment in the upper levels of a nineteenth-century apartment block. The new staircase connects living spaces on the lower storey with a mezzanine above, but also creates a subtle divide between the kitchen and lounge.

Made from powder-coated white steel, the staircase hangs down from a ceiling beam and wall overhead. Its narrow vertical supports form a balustrade, while open risers allow views through from below.

As the stairs descend, they stop before reaching the floor, so residents have to step down over a piece of wooden furniture that functions as both a chest of drawers and a window seat.

On one side of the staircase is a white-painted living area featuring a low-slung sofa and white mesh chair, while the other side is a kitchen and dining area finished in dark grey.

“The original kitchen was tight, inefficient and north facing,” said architect Tomas Stokke, describing the old layout. “By moving it into the common areas we could create a light, airy and spacious space that becomes the social heart.”

An oak worktop doubles as a breakfast bar with room for two. There is also a small fireplace that creates a cooking space at the end of the kitchen worktop.

A double-height bathroom sits beside the living area and is finished in polished concrete and grey stone. The bath and shower are raised up, so residents have to climb up a small staircase to access them.

Upstairs, the hallway connecting the bedroom with the stairs becomes a viewing platform over the living space below. It also leads out to a small sheltered roof terrace.

Photography is by Simon Kennedy and Inger Marie Grini.

Here’s a project description from Haptic:

Idunsgate, Oslo

The apartment is in the top floor of a 19th century apartment building in central Oslo in Norway. Purchasing the loft space above the apartment enabled the client to do a full scale refurbishment of the loft, bringing the two floors into one, unified space.

Through a thorough three-dimensional survey of the apartment and careful assessment of the means of escape, we were able to incorporate every nook and cranny and even part of the stairwell into the design.

By fully utilising the level changes and opportunities we could introduce spatial drama with substantial vertical sight lines. The en-suite bathroom to the master bedroom is organised over three levels by incorporating found spaces. A sunny terrace has a large glass wall that brings evening light deep into the apartment. Some loft space has been sacrificed to create a double height space over the living room.

The centrepiece of the apartment is the feature staircase connecting the two levels. A modular, powder-coated, white steel stair is suspended between the joists and connects to a low storage/sofa unit that runs along the front façade.

The bathroom incorporated several level changes, and by using large scale 100x300cm tiles, the impression is of one that is carved out of a single block of stone.

The original kitchen was tight, inefficient and north facing. By moving it into the common areas we could create a light, airy and spacious space that becomes the social heart and integrates with the rest of the apartment. A small fireplace is integrated into the kitchen worktop and the kitchen fronts are painted to match the colour of the fireplace.

Typology: Refurbishment and loft conversion
Client: Gullestad/Skavlan
Architect: Haptic Architects
Team: Nikki Butenschøn, Aleksandra Danielak, Peder Skavlan

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Idunsgate Apartment by Haptic appeared first on Dezeen.

Models at a Norwegian fashion event walked along this looping wooden catwalk designed by Oslo studio Gartnerfuglen Architects (+ slideshow).

Gartnerfuglen Architects an a group of volunteers built the wooden structure for Up [øpp], a non-profit biannual fashion show promoting young Norwegian fashion designers.

Located in a nineteenth-century mechanical workshop, the studio designed the three-dimensional runway to make use of the generous space and create an evocative setting without detracting from the clothes.

“The concept was a three-dimensional walkway making use of both the loftiness and area of the room, creating a poetic and ambient fashion show, with organic motion, gradual transitions and spectacular photo opportunities without stealing focus from the outfits shown on the catwalk,” said the architects.

The models walked up the curving plywood ramp before circling down and underneath the structure in an almost figure-of-eight movement.

Two-by-two lumber sections created a frame with vertical elements that extended above the walkway and cross-bracing between them beneath. Thin rope cordoned the edges higher up for safety.

The length and shape of the catwalk allowed many outfits to be shown at once and gave the audience an unobstructed view wherever they were positioned.

Previously we’ve featured catwalk designs for Neil Barrett, which featured an angular tunnel that extended to form the backdrop, and scenography for Viktor & Rolf’s Autumn Winter 2013 collection by Studio Job.

See more design installations »
See more set design »
See more architecture and design in Oslo »

Gartnerfuglen Architects send us the information below:

Up Catwalk, Fall 2013

The second Up fashion show was held in a 19th century mechanical workshop, currently used by a car dealership. Inspired by the spectacular catwalks and extravaganza of the biggest fashion companies, the ambition/challenge was to create the same X-factor at a non-profit event based on volunteer work.

Given the large volume of the space, it was necessary to take on the entire floor area to achieve the spectacularity wanted. We wanted to create a “perfect object”, focusing on construction and materiality.

The concept was a three-dimensional walkway making use of both the loftiness and area of the room, creating a poetic and ambient fashion show, with organic motion, gradual transitions and spectacular photo opportunities without stealing focus from the outfits shown on the catwalk.

Based on a simple, yet sturdy, sequence of frames made from 2×2 lumber, organised in crossing circles, the rigidness of the boards was softened by its organic composition and repetition.

Assisted by a hard working group of volunteers, this self-built centrepiece structure was finished after a three day workshop. The result was a visually striking object.

The catwalk’s gliding movement in three dimensions, its height and length, give the outfits good exposure. Several models can appear on the catwalk at the same time, with the different overlapping presentations creating an interesting dynamism.

In addition to the aesthetic, the catwalk’s stretch provided the entire audience with front row seats. The models were also given enough time to show the designs, without making the show monotonous

Spectators were allowed both inside and outside the catwalk circles. It also facilitated logistics to make a seamless event.

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Gartnerfuglen Architects appeared first on Dezeen.

Dutch studio MVRDV has given the new Oslo headquarters for Norwegian bank DNB a pixellated appearance by building a stack of brick and glass cubes.

The irregular arrangement of the six-metre wide cubes creates recessed openings across the facade, which MVRDV has used to add sheltered terraces to each floor and a new route from the waterfront towards the nearby railway station.

“We started with a massive slab and by removing pixels one by one we were able to create an arcade, terraces, a public passage, etcetera,” project architect Jeroen Zuidgeest told Dezeen. “By carving out volumes, we made sure every floor has access to interior and exterior terraces.”

The DNB Bank Headquarters is located within the waterfront development of Bjørvika Barcode that MVRDV masterplanned in collaboration with Norwegian architects a-lab and Dark. Each studio has designed one building for the bank and MVRDV’s is the first to complete.

At 17 storeys high, the building provides over 2000 flexible work spaces for employees and each floor accommodates a series of glass cubes where staff can hold informal meetings, have lunches or take phone calls.

Wooden bridges and staircases connect the floors both inside and outside, and it is possible to walk up one side of the building to the canteen and then back down on the other side.

“On one hand, you have this proud, strong iconography, and on the other hand you’re offered social spaces and human character on every floor,” said Zuidgeest. “None of the floors are the same and when you manoeuvre through the building you experience how each floor has its own character and qualities; each one has its own surprises.”

Above: photograph is by Jeroen Musch

The building is already in use, although the complex is scheduled to open officially in May 2013.

Above: photograph is by Jeroen Musch

MVRDV has designed a few buildings with pixellated volumes, including a pair of skyscrapers that caused controversy for bearing a resemblance to the exploding World Trade Centre on 9/11. See more projects by MVRDV »

Photography is by Jiri Havran, apart from where otherwise stated.

Here’s the full project description from MVRDV:

MVRDV completes DNB Bank Headquarters main building in Oslo

The central building of DNB’s new bank headquarter cluster developed by Oslo S Utvikling (OSU) is completed. The MVRDV designed main building has 17 unique floors and a surface of 36,500m2. The pixelated volume based on small-scale working units adapts to the various influences of the urban context, combining an efficient and flexible internal organisation with a variety of specific communal spaces such as the main entrance lobby, a transparent trading floor, a sheltered public passage, respect for urban view lines and collective terraces overlooking the fjord to the south. The glass and brick exterior expresses both the transparency and stability of DNB as a modern financial institution.

Above: photograph is by Jeroen Musch

The development of the new headquarter cluster is a strategic operation concentrating the DNB offices formerly spread out over Oslo at one location, aiming for synergy and a clear identity. The objective was to translate the social and democratic character of the organisation into a building with excellent working conditions and spatial qualities that would stimulate efficiency, identity and collaboration.

The design is based on an ideal work group of the bank, a pixel of 6×6 metres, whose versatility permits adaptation to the flexible nature of the organisation. Besides more than 2,000 flexible work spaces the building contains a panoramic 140 seat canteen on the top level, the executive lounge with a view over the fjord, the board room, in the heart of the volume DNB’s trading room with 250 work stations, and the main entrance with the reception and access to the concourse that connects to the two neighbouring volumes. The collective spaces are connected by a staggered continuous internal route of collective terraces, all being executed as glass pixels, encouraging informal meetings and communication between employees.

Above: photograph is by Jeroen Musch

This route meanders from the reception upwards through the building, connecting all 17 levels office levels with the communal areas. A series of wooden stairs and bridges allow employees to switch levels or even to walk up to the canteen on one side of the building and down on the other side. The route accommodates communal areas to the office floors and is made homely with a series of pantries, informal meeting areas, reading-rooms, lounges and fire places. It gives access to the various outdoor terraces and roof gardens. All these collective spaces offer views to the surroundings and transparency from out side. The route is naturally ventilated and has a high performance glass fit for the cold Norwegian winter.

The generic office floors recline and are recessed in various places to answer to the urban context creating communal indoor and outdoor areas and outstanding daylight conditions. At street level the building volume is opened to give space to sheltered entrance zones, and intersected by a public passage creating a public route between Oslo Central Station and the fjord. The pixelated design allows this specific response whilst being highly efficient and flexible. As a result, every floor of the building is both unique and generic: the pixelated volume makes the generic specific.

Above: photograph is by Jeroen Musch

The structure is conceived as a steel rack wrapped in a brick skin, covering all exterior terraces, walls and ceilings with bricks, which adopts Norwegian environmental standards and gives a human scale to the building. It appears as a rock, a strong shape within the boundaries of the Barcode.

The international Norwegian financial institution DNB decided to concentrate their twenty office locations currently dispersed over the city in the Bjørvika Barcode, an urban plan by MVRDV / DARK / a-lab next to Oslo Central Station. In 2007, the masterplan team was commissioned by developer OSU to design the urban concept for DNB’s headquarter complex. A new cluster of three volumes (80.000m2) and a common basement with a 3,000m2 underground concourse, which interlinks the three buildings of the bank, was developed. MVRDV was commissioned as architect for the central main building and co-responsible for the urban concept and concourse.

Above: photograph is by Jeroen Musch

MVRDV has collaborated with Norwegian co-architect DARK Arkitekter AS and various Norwegian engineering firms. Project management is executed by Norwegian firm Vedal Project AS. The second building of the DNB cluster is designed by A-lab and the third building by Dark Arkitekter, within the overall Bjørvika Barcode masterplan. The cluster will be officially opened May 14th 2013.

DNB is the largest financial services group in Norway. The Group consists of brands such as DNB, Vital, Nordlandsbanken, Cresco, Postbanken, DnB NORD and Carlson. In 2003, MVRDV, together with Norwegian firms Dark and a-lab, won the competition for the Bjørvika waterfront development with the design of the Bjørvika Barcode; a dense, open and differentiated urban master plan along Nyland Allé, that is developed and realised by OSU in phases. DNB Life Insurance (DNB Scandinavian Property Fund) bought the 3 buildings last year for 4,8 billion Norwegian krone.

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by MVRDV appeared first on Dezeen.

London studio Haptic has created a forest-like lounge at a hotel in Oslo, filled with trees, stacks of lumber and a plant-covered wall.

The open-plan lounge is also the lobby for the hotel, which contains 300 guest rooms and a business conference centre.

The stacked-up timber beams form the reception counter, while the trees create a protective canopy along the edges of a 350-seat canteen.

“The challenge was to provide spaces that felt intimate whilst being easy to get to, flexible and compatible with large-scale event logistics,” Haptic’s Tomas Stokke told Dezeen.

Instead of using matching furniture, the designers have added a variety of chairs by different designers, including Charles and Ray Eames, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, and Jasper Morrison.

A row of timber columns separates the lounge from the hotel restaurant, where more columns fold outwards to shelter dining tables.

In contrast to the busy spaces of the lobby, the guest rooms have a simplified design, with a muted colour palette and plain furnishings.

Another hotel completed recently is the Hôtel Droog, which opened in Amsterdam earlier this month.

See more hotels on Dezeen »

Photography is by Trine Thorsen.

Here’s a project description from the architects:

Inspired by Nature

This interior architectural project for a large, 300-room hotel and conferencing venue, is inspired by the stunning Norwegian landscape and uses a primary palette of natural materials to provide variety in spatial composition, form, texture and colour.

The primary design strategy was to rationalise a complex set of interconnecting spaces and functions, providing consistent themes and architectural tectonics, but variety and specific “installations” to define each space from the next.

The main communal space of the hotel is understood through a simple architectural theme, the “big floor”, which is then subtly sub-divided into zones to define the lobby, from the restaurant/canteen to private dining, lounge/library and conference lobby.

The Norwegian forests are a primary inspiration, whereby timber is used through out in very different ways to create semi-permeable screens, cladding to cores, a bespoke square-log reception and bar, right down to details such as signage and loose furniture.

The main lobby space is framed by a stylised forest wall that divides the lobby from the restaurant but allows glimpses between the spaces and filters natural light from the main skylight above.

The lobby is more than a reception and waiting lounge, elevated to a communal dining and meeting point for hotel and conference guests. Subtle lighting has been installed to work with the planted trees, where shadows from their canopies dance upon the articulated lobby ceiling.

The lounge and library space is defined by a slender timber screen, that seemingly goes off for a walk, creating bar shelving, bookshelves, desks and ceiling.

By contrast, the hotel rooms are pared down, with simple, quality materials and custom-made furniture made in collaboration with B&B Italia.

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by Haptic appeared first on Dezeen.