Sommerro’s circle-shaped, two-floor rooftop restaurant will provide guests with the best views of Oslo city.
Innovation through revitalisation Boasting a resume of transformational projects, such as the noted Vulkan project in Oslo, architectural design firm LPO Arkitekter is re-shaping how we think about sustainable construction and preservation. Currently in the process of transforming and repurposing the landmark Oslo Lysverker building in Solli Plass into a neighborhood hotel, the firm is a leading star in the art of re-doing with purpose.
grand projects in the capital – including everything from museums and urban villages to airports and seafront apartment buildings – the firm boasts versatility, breadth and plenty of innovative spirit.
By Julie Linden | Photos: LPO and Finn Ståle Felberg
A notable example is the segment of the portfolio dedicated to Oslo’s revitalised riverside area of Vulkan – an area that was long a dormant industrial zone with
“It feels like a significant part of who we are as a firm,” says Lisbeth Halseth, head of administration and partner at LPO Arkitekter, an Oslo-based firm made up of more than 100 architects and advisors. “The identity we’ve grown into is one of connecting old and new in a seamless manner, bridging the sometimes challenging space of what must be preserved and what is served by renewal. With the experience we’ve built over the years, we 118 | Issue 129 | October 2019
feel a sense of belonging in this – there’s a great sense of purpose in being able to achieve two such different goals at once.”
Visualising a ‘town within a town’ Joined by CEO and partner Tom Sletner and communications director Hilde Lillejord, Halseth explains that the firm’s ethos and goals are reflected in its everdeveloping and expanding portfolio. From the northern island of Svalbard to
LPO Arkitekter have worked closely with the city planning office and other design firms to get the project off the ground.