Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Nordic Architecture & Design Special – Norway
Left: The idea of the solar-powered tree and cubes with electric bike rental was born through a collaboration with the Møller Group. Sun Mobility is one of the first solutions in the world that combines solar power, electric bikes and the sharing economy. Photo: Ivan Brodey. Right: The employees of Statoil believe the building facilitates casual encounters across different departments. The bridges lead from the tower down to the internal plaza. The Statoil regional and international offices helped A-lab win a World Architecture Festival (WAF) award twice. Photo: Luis Fonseca. Bottom: Tøyen Startup Village was drawn by A-lab and aims to provide a collaborative space for new businesses, linked with a development strategy for the whole area. Photo: Ivan Brodey.
provide a bridge between the higher density and lower density areas. The firm has also previously received a WAF award for best residential housing with Barcode’s The Carve.
Exporting architecture Having recently been accepted onto Architecture – Go Global, a programme designed to enable architectural export supported by Innovation Norway and the Norwegian Centre for Design and Architecture (DOGA), the firm is now one of seven companies that have been provided with funds and advice for architecture export. “The one-year programme is designed to help us become better rigged for the international market,” explains Sjøwall Oftedal. “There are many things you can’t anticipate when dealing with international architecture, such as cultural differences and differences in contractual law, 96 | Issue 105 | October 2017
which could easily lead to serious misunderstandings. That’s why the participants will be provided with expert advice, to avoid these mistakes.”
cial, economic as well as environmental sustainability – and what drives us is a strong wish to take the architect’s social responsibility seriously,” she says.
A-lab is currently looking at Sweden and Denmark as potential markets. “Not just to dip our feet in other markets, but to learn from them. Sweden and Denmark are often ahead when it comes to social and economic sustainability in urban planning and architecture. We’re excited to see what our encounters with their ideas and knowledge will do, and we can also introduce our thoughts about, for example, city floor and identity in the meeting between old and new architecture,” explains Sjøwall Oftedal. She believes that one of the areas A-lab specialises in, which they can contribute with internationally, is the ability to create close-knit cities where people can comfortably live and work. “We aim to create cities and areas that have so-
Web: www.a-lab.no