Asylum in Hausmannsgate
2nd semester
Assignment: Make plans for a refugee center on the site of an old workshop in Hausmannsgate.
Teachers: Christine Petersen, Espen Vatn,Olav Kristoffersen
Not a single asylum in Norway has been built for its purpose. The challenges facing such centers are numerous. Many of its inhabitants are scared from conflict. Family and social compositions are highly variable. Many centers are completely isolated from society, and idleness in waiting for a response from the state can take a huge toll. These were some of the themes for this project, which is designed as a private and secluded series of irregular apartments that float between two levels of public space. The public spaces are designed to be open and attractive for both refugees and the local populace.
The first floor is open to the city in all directions and acts as a market space. It is split between the staircase towers which act as personal entrances to each apartment. The area receives light through the light shafts in the volume above it.
The second floor consists of a large variety of different apartment sizes, in line with the changing demands of the occupants. Every room has a windows opening to the city or the light shafts towards the market below.
The first floor market space
The third floor is a private roof terrace for the occupants of the building, spatially split between a series of small studio flat towers.
The new building is connected with an old brick workshop. It is renovated and holds offices, social space, activity rooms and market rooms.
The plan is structured around a series of horizontal beams and staircase towers.
Project location: