7. Sketches, concepts and solutions

A strong innovation district cannot be built from scratch. It must be built on the shoulders of strong and leading expert communities that already have strong presence in the district. Oslo Science City also builds on a number of projects in the area that are already well underway.

Six principles for a unique and dynamic innovation district

 

SPACES THAT UNITE AND CONECT

CRITICAL MASS AND MULTIFUNCTIONALITY

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND NATURE

 

AN INNOVATIVE, ACCESSIBLE AND VIBRANT URBAN AREA

AN INCLUSIVE INNOVATION DISTRICT

MOBILITY SOLUTIONS FOR IMPROVED CONNECTIVITY

PRINCIPLE 6:

Mobility solutions

  • Mobility solutions should tie the different neighbourhoods in the innovation district together and link Oslo Science City closely to the rest of the city and the region.

  • The urban structure must be rooted in long-term transport planning and the sustainable mobility of the future.

  • Green mobility solutions must be strengthened and further developed and allow room for new environmentally friendly transport and mobility solutions.

Oslo Science City has a clear ambition to become a car-free district. By designing streets for people we transition from a street network based on vehicle traffic to prioritizing pedestrians, cyclists and shared mobility.

A new transport system should reduce the need for owning a car by offering safe, practical transport networks and affordable alternatives for each trip. This will encourage new forms of mobility based on bicycles, e-bikes, electric vehicles, autonomous buses and shared mobility.

In Oslo Science City, this strategy should be initiated already in phase 1, by transforming an inner core of the area for the future vision of climate friendly mobility and by creating a fine-meshed network that prioritizes pedestrians and cyclists. In Oslo Science City, this network will grow over time and finally be fully scaled to also include logistics hubs for goods delivery, waste, storage and shared services.

ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORT AND EFFICIENT LOGISTICS

By strengthening mobility hubs and creating shared logistics hubs for the area

REDUCING CAR TRAFFIC AND PARKING

By improving public transport and transforming parking areas into new uses

IMPROVING PUBLIC AND ELECTRIC TRANSPORT

Encourage new forms of mobility, bicycle sharing, e-bikes and other lower-speed alternatives

DESIGN STREETS FOR PEOPLE

By prioritizing pedestrians, cyclists etc.

 

Walk and Talk City

Through stronger physical and social ties between neighbourhoods, people located in different parts of the district will more frequently take advantage of the services and attractions of all neighbourhoods. In Oslo Science City, a key idea is to strengthen the links between the neighbourhoods, so that they work both together and separately. Creating walking routes and networks of hiking trails that connect different parts of the innovation district, we can provide the basis for ”Walk and Talk” meetings that create room for new thinking and innovation.

Routes for strolls through wind and rain

Skiing in winter time

 

5 - 15 min

0,5 - 1,5km

It is possible to look at the urban structure from a 30 minute walking time perspective and improve potential paths and walkways

Different routes of various length adapted to meeting needs. Information about walking times can be found on Oslo Science City’s app

The routes are planned in the shape of interconnecting loops, so it is possible to adapt route length on the way

 

Emission-free and efficient mobility

The vision for mobility in Oslo Science City is an emission-free transport system that places people at the center. It should be easy to move around in Oslo Science City without using your own car.

More than 30 percent of the land area of today’s cities is dedicated to infrastructure. Roads and parking reduce public spaces and impose a negative impact on society and nature. A future where cars take up less space will free up significant amounts of space for urban life.

To succeed, it is necessary to strengthen the mobility hubs that consist of the metro stations Blindern and Oslo Science Park. It has been proposed to change the name of Oslo Science Park station to Oslo Science City station, strengthening and emphasizing the area’s identity. These stations will be the most important gateways to Oslo Science City. Fast and seamless connections will be established between these stations and the rest of Oslo Science City. In addition, one should establish a coordinating urban logistics hub that applies new climate-friendly technology for internal distribution of goods. The new ecosystem in Oslo Science City can show the way towards a sustainable and connected future city.

TRADITIONAL STREETS

At present, more than 30 percent of the land area of modern cities is dedicated to infrastructure. Roads and parking reduce public spaces and can have a negative impact on local communities and nature.

CAR-FREE AREA

In a future where Oslo Science City turns into a car-free neighbourhood, we can free up a lot of space and offer more intensive and better public use

 

DOWNSCALING OF CAR TRAFFIC

Frees up space for nature and improves air quality

COMMUNAL AREAS CREATE SAFER ENVIRONMENTS

Create safer environments for residents and offer safe access for necessary transport

BETTER CONNECTION TO PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Makes it possible to create car-free zones in the area and prioritize pedestrians, cyclists etc.

 

Stepwise introduction

We start by making the inner area of Oslo Science City car-free and fossile-free. Here, parking areas will be re-prioritized for other purposes that create more urban life. However, emergency vehicles, vehicles of people with a mobility handicap and autonomous buses/taxis will still be allowed in this area. In the next phase, there will be a gradual expansion of the car-free and fossile-free area and a transformation of parking areas into development sites or parking for shared electric mobility. Parking facilities will primarily be situated on the edge of the area, so that those who need a car still may use it.

Urban logistics hubs will be introduced to deliver goods to the area in a climate-friendly way. Here, deliveries from different suppliers will be coordinated and forwarded for internal distribution by e-cargo bikes, e-delivery vans and autonomous vehicles/ robots to the different parts of Oslo Science City. There will also be an infrastructure for package deliveries by drone. By placing landing spots for drones on the roofs of high buildings, noise will be minimized for those who walk or engage in other activities at street level. Such solutions will provide efficient transport for time-critical goods, for example blood samples between health institutions.

 

CAR-FREE LOOP

Already in 2025, the vision is to establish a car-free central area through simple measures

TRANSPORT SYSTEMS

Focus on connecting the central area in phase 1 through a strong network of different mobility types. The Loop can be used as a testing arena for new mobility solutions

PARKING POTENTIAL

Existing parking areas will be moved to the basement under the new buildings and thus free up space at street level for new construction. Existing parking areas are transformed into new development sites and green spaces

 

The streets of Oslo Science City

Ved å definere et sett med gater med vekt på fremtidens mobilitetsløsninger, transformeres Oslo Science City til det mest effektive, trygge og bærekraftige området i Norge. Gater vil bli transformert fra å tilrettelegge for biltrafikk til nye måter å bevege seg på som krever mindre plass.

 

Langsom biltraffikk

Parkering

Higher speed

Logistics

Emergency vehicles

Autonomous buses

Hiking trail and express lane

Pedestrians, cyclists etc. – the Octopus

 

Transformation over time

By starting the transformation in the inner parts of Oslo Science City, a functional mobility system is established from day one. The system may function as a pilot project before other areas are transformed in Oslo Science City. This will also have transfer value for other urban areas. Over time, streets are transformed into places that are designed from the perspective of pedestrians and cyclists, and for a future where there is less car traffic that requires less space.

Today

Scenario 2025-2045

 
 

A Strategy for Ring 3

Through a gradual transformation, Ring 3 is moved underground and the areas north and south of the ring are connected through urban structures and green corridors. In phase 1, a series of smaller green bridges is established that connect the two sides. Ring 3 is lowered by a few metres and Gaustadalléen is raised to allow pedestrians, cyclists and the tram to cross over. This strengthens Gaustadalléen as an urban street and brings Øvre Gaustad closer to Nedre Gaustad and the rest of Oslo Science City.

By Phase 3 in 2045, a larger part of Ring 3 is placed underground to free up land for new urban develop - ment, remove physical barriers and strengthen the green corridors through the area.

By lowering the road at Ring 3, allowing pedes - trians, cyclists and the tram to cross over safely separately from car traffic, the connections in the area are strengthened, both in terms of buildings, traffic solutions and green areas. This allows the on-and-off ramps of Ring 3 to be reduced to simple and compact roundabouts.

PROPOSAL FOR STEPWISE TRANSFORMATION OF RING 3

The transformation is introduced gradually by first establishing multiple broad crossings over Ring 3. By 2045, a larger part of Ring 3 is placed underground to free up land for new urban development, remove physical barriers and strengthen the green corridors through the area.

PHASE 1

PHASE 2

PHASE 3