SKI CENTRAL FOREST
2019
competition for the new main square in Ski (Norway)
the Bureau in collaboration with Holt O’Brien
Our proposal for the square in Ski is not a square, it is a forest. A piece of wilderness (re) introduced in the Ski center. Central Skog is a new living green area that will serve as a counterweight to the amount of hard surfaces that are already found in Ski. The green area will grow together with Ski when the area enters a new phase of heavy development.
Urban Level.
We Norwegians have a very special understanding of nature and the forest. Not only as a source of leisure, but also of nutrients and shelter, in addition to our perception of the place itself.
Nature then becomes a key player in development, not a passive player on the outside. Planting trees and arranging new nature in the town square has both a strong symbolic and progressive significance. By doing this, the expectations of the society of the future are set high, at the same time as much of the place's historical value and heritage is clarified. "A society grows big when old men plant trees they know they will never sit in the shade of." - Greek proverb.
“It can be argued that the first public space in Norwegian culture was an opening in a forest where people could gather”.
Elements of the square.
Our Central Forest proposal consists of 2 main elements, the green heart and the wreath.
Green heart.
The most important and central element is the dense and lush forest.
It is a small piece of wild nature, with a great variety of trees, flowers, shrubs and wildlife. They become an open canvas for the population to partake of, in the same way that we humans assume and enjoy nature. There are three unique landscapes in the green heart. A plain, a lake and a hill. These are so that visitors can take in the green heart in different ways.
The wreath.
The green heart will be surrounded by open spaces, tailored to the already existing and nearby functions, and located along the edge of the green heart.
The green heart offers a forest edge to all the surrounding buildings and creates a unique and intimate experience. The wreath around will be a continuous brick-coated surface.
Step-by-step development.
Using nature as the most important building block can be challenging, but also provides a unique opportunity for tampering over time.
The step-by-step development takes place quite naturally. First, Lower Square is developed into a lush green forest surrounded by various intimate urban spaces. Who plants the first tree? Then Upper Square is developed, in parallel with the upgrade of the green field in front of the City Hall. The bridge is being built in phase two.
The space created.
The existing square is now a paved parking lot.
Will want to remove the deck, do a little digging and redistribute some of the reason to create greater variety of topography and experiences.
Winter Activities
Summer Activities
Vitalization of offers at street level.
A green and vibrant area, together with a strong environmental profile, will be a strong attraction before industry in the area. The ripple effect of this will hopefully lead to an upgrade of the adjacent façade environment. The "wreath" of urban spaces can be adapted to new programs and offers in the area.
Lighting strategies.
The lighting strategy varies between two different atmospheres in the square. In the Forest, lighting from the ground and up towards the trees will be the dominant light source, where the light is amplified in suspended mirrors. In the Wreath, spotlights are installed, which can be adapted to surrounding places and programs. The accompanying lighting strategy is a color palette that follows the different seasons, and enhances the nature experience instead.
The forest and sustainability.
The forest combines four different layers: tall trees; small trees; shrubs; herbs and perennials. The diversity between these species creates resistance to extreme weather conditions.
The forest will also be a resilient and self-sustaining ecosystem that is adaptable to climate change. The forest in Ski will combine different types of plants: trees with fruit and nuts, Scandinavian trees and plants with indirect utility value (eg. for insects and other small animals).
Intangible development of space.
Welcome to the official website for Ski Square and to the Ski Square app!
Ski Square is a public place where you can see art, walk through gardens, experience one performance, enjoy delicious food or just stroll one walk in the woods.
It is important that Ski Square is integrated into people's everyday lives, both physically and virtually. Development of a digital platform is a method of connecting people closer to the place - in daily life, and the different seasons. A cultural and green initiatives are promoted to a larger audience.
· The value of trees as a windbreak. This will make it possible for nearby buildings to save electricity, if they are poorly insulated.
· A location close to nature tends to increase property prices. The planting of trees will increase the value of the surrounding buildings.
· Trees can help prevent UHI. The shadow areas and the effect of the forest will contribute to a cooler environment.
. Trees can be a tool to combat the CO2 effect and reduce global warming. Trees can also neutralize and stabilize contaminated soil.
Water management and resilience.
Floods and the management of excess surface water are one of the biggest challenges associated with climate change facing urban environments.
This has the potential to do extensive damage on both property and public spaces. Cases of this are a direct result of permeable surfaces being covered by impermeable materials - is asphalt concrete and waterproof coatings. Our entire proposal for a green heart will alleviate much of this problem on a daily basis. We have also designed the lake in the center of the project to have a flexible edge, so that the lake can expand temporarily when it is necessary to remove extra surface water.
