The Nansen Park, Fornebu
HIDE INFO| Type of project | Design, Architecture |
| Location | Oslo - Norway |
| Owner/Builder | Statsbygg |
| Size | 200 000 m² |
| Finishing year | 2008 |
| Architect | Bjørbekk & Lindheim www.blark.no |
| Consultants | Water artist and consultant Atelier Dreiseitl www.dreiseitl.de Technical consultant, Norconsult www.norconsult.no |
| Special challenges | “Eco-project”, durability, aesthetics, water design |
| Competition | 1st prize in a closed competition in 2004 gave Bjørbekk & Lindheim the project. |
Water artist and consultant Atelier Dreiseitl www.dreiseitl.de |
The total transformation of the former Fornebu International Airport into a green and active public Park by the Oslo Fjord. The Nansen Park, named after the great Norwegian explorer, Fridtjof Nansen, is now the beating heart of a new living- and recreational area, literarily on the waterfront of the peninsula Snarøya just outside of Oslo.
Water is the main visual element, with a new large pond in the centre. The Nansen Park has a clear eco-profile, visible through the use of local vegetation and eco-friendly Kebony wood in all the installations.
Mr. Simen Gylseth, Bjørbekk & Lindheim:
- The Norwegian government and the builder Statsbygg were very clear on their demands concerning durability and sustainability in refurbishing the entire Fornebu Airport area. They required eco-friendly building materials and no leakage of toxic waste.
Kebony has obvious advantages compared to ordinary wooden materials (that are impregnated with copper and toxic chemicals to avoid fungal attacks).
Kebony also has longer expected durability, which is of great importance in areas with direct contact to soil, as well as with stone, concrete, steel and other foundation materials, where the wood will dry slower after rain.
The improved wear- and dent-resistance of Kebony was a key criteria as it is important to us that the material stands heavy use.
We also wanted to test Kebony in a larger outdoor environment.