Transforming a theater into new homes

We are proud to share our vision for a new housing complex located at Gullhaug Torg 2b in Oslo.  The design focuses on the adaptive reuse of the former Riksteatret building in the Nydalen neighborhood of Oslo — originally constructed in 1957 with large, open spans typical of mid-century design standards.

By retrofitting the theater hall’s signature concrete arches, vertical columns, and horizontal concrete bands we can preserve the building’s identity, extend its life and cut embodied carbon. In our design, a new timber construction sits as an independent building envelope within the preserved concrete frame. This maintains the rhythm of the hall's arches while being able to introduce high-quality homes with passive-house performance.

By keeping the main structure and introducing compact timber modules, the design reduces technical risks around thermal bridges, improves indoor climate, enables a high degree of prefabrication, and substantially lowers embodied emissions over the building’s lifetime.

Homes range from efficient one and two-bedroom apartments on the lower levels to duplex units above, with flexible plans oriented towards light and views. A central core concentrates services and storage in the darker interior zones, optimizing daylight for living spaces. In total, the proposal accommodates 100 homes across approximately 10,500 m².

At street level, small, shared spaces give the residents places to meet, and planting offers ground-floor residents’ semi-private outdoor space. Reused brick from the existing building is proposed as durable paving to mark the transition from public to private — strengthening identity while meeting outdoor space ambitions for residents as the area evolves into a residential street.

Thank you to Storebrand for the invitation to submit this proposal. Our design achieved second place.