Oslo, Norway
2016 - 2022
Jordal Sports Park
Located east of Oslo city center, Jordal Sports Park is part of the transformation of the 1952 sports arena built for the Oslo Winter Olympic Games. After over 60 years of use, a new sports arena was built and prompted the redevelopment of the surrounding area. Creating a better integrated and more social connection to the wider urban environment, the design also restores some of the natural elements that predated early development of the area, over a century ago.
Project details
Client
Oslo Municipality
Status
Designed to connect seamlessly with the city, Jordal Sports Park acts as a multifunctional urban oasis open to all members of the community. With sloping green areas, walking and cycling paths, a skate park, and playgrounds, the park invites visitors from the community and opens the area up for new uses. The park also includes a sports hall, youth hall, and a large turf lawn which can be used for football matches with outdoor seating area. Benches next to planted greenery and running streams welcome the visitors to stay and enjoy the park and create a bridge between the sports arena and its surroundings.
These versatile offerings are intended to accommodate the needs and interests of diverse ages and users groups. Reinforcing the park’s role as a gathering place, its flexibility allows it to host a variety of activities, from sports competitions to cultural events and social celebrations.
“We often use the word ‘green’ to describe landscapes, neglecting to acknowledge that landscapes are also blue. Water is an integral part of restoring and protecting wildlife.”
Restoring urban nature
Central to the design of Jordal Sports Park was restoring a natural feature that existed there before the development of the city of Oslo. After 120 years in underground pipes, the Hovinbekken stream, was resurfaced in 2020, providing a new habitat for both plants and animals.
“We often use the word ‘green’ to describe landscapes, neglecting to acknowledge that landscapes are also blue. Water is an integral part of restoring and protecting wildlife,” says Global Design Director of Landscape, Sonja Stockmarr. “At Jordal Sports Park in Oslo, the landscape design included restoring a stream that had been running in tubes below ground since 1900. Reestablishing the creek at ground level also included installing fish ladders to allow salmon through and secure access to their spawn locations.”
Many of the park elements were designed to create a harmonious relationship with nature. An abundance of vegetation such as trees, grassy areas, and plantings, improve air quality and enhance biodiversity, providing a variety of habitats for local plants and wildlife. With climate resilience in mind, the park is also embedded with a range of stormwater management solutions, such as permeable pavements and rain gardens to reduce surface runoff and mitigate flooding.
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