NIELSTORP+ arkitekter – NIELSTORP+ arkitekter

Planning start-up meeting for care homes

22 August 2024/in Suggestion /by Herman Hagelsteen

The planning initiative for Daaevegen 11 at Moa in Ålesund aims to facilitate the development of an apartment building on an existing residential plot. The planning area lies to the west of Moa Handelspark and borders Daaevegen to the south and west, with adjoining residential properties to the north and forest/greenland to the east. The project involves the demolition of existing buildings and the establishment of a three-storey low-rise block with 29 apartments and indoor parking. There are also plans to expand the area to include parts of Daaevegen to ensure good road access and safeguard the footpath system.

The plan is in line with Ålesund municipality's densification strategy and existing municipal plan, and aims to promote sustainable urban development. The development will affect traffic on Daaevegen, but will also facilitate pedestrians and cyclists. The planning proposal includes measures for universal design and socially balanced housing construction.

Conditions such as social security, environmental impact, and adaptation to the landscape and surroundings will be assessed through further planning work and risk and vulnerability analyses. Relevant public bodies, landowners and neighbors will be involved in the planning process. An impact assessment is not considered necessary, but this will be finally assessed in the start-up meeting with the municipality.

NIELSTORP+ OMA = True

14 March 2024/in /by Herman Hagelsteen

NIELSTORP+ has become a member of OMA (Oslo Metropolitan Area). As a trade organisation, OMA works for interdisciplinary dialogue between authorities, business and residents in the Oslo region. OMA does an important job of creating arenas where the different parts of the real estate industry meet and to contribute to the facilitation of dialogue between the private and public sectors. Our office works with several regulatory matters in the Oslo region and with our membership will further involve us in processes and the actors that influence them and to develop our professional expertise and perhaps also contribute back.

OMA is, among other things, the organizer of Oslo Urban Week.

The future is colorful

19 January 2024/in Housing project, Suggestion /by Herman Hagelsteen

Exciting to meet the talented team at paint manufacturer Jotun in Sandefjord about a collaborative project in Bodø. Together, we look at how the color palette from the restoration architecture can be carried over to new construction for a new village.

Coloring is specialist knowledge!

Planning proposal for a new district at Hoff

28 November 2023/in Housing project, Suggestion, Rehabilitation /by Herman Hagelsteen

On behalf of Holm Eiendom, SKB Eiendom and Fram Eiendom, Nielstorp+ architects have drawn up proposals for the development of offices, industry, housing, cultural purposes and public spaces at Hoff.

The proposal "Hoff Village" launches extensive reuse of existing building materials as well as additions and new buildings. Altogether, the proposal comprises approx. 47,000m², of which approx. 14,000 are housing.

- With Hoff Village, we are launching an area development that takes in the entire local area. We create public spaces for use by all, and establish connecting lines that connect the future Hoffsparken, Hoff school and the tram and subway at Hoff torg. The development will rehabilitate and reuse a significant part of the existing building stock. This satisfies all the criteria for good urban development, says Herman Hagelsteen in Nielstorp+ arkitekter.

We are opening an office in Tromsø

26 September 2023/in Nutrition, Rehabilitation /by Herman Hagelsteen

We are increasing our presence in Northern Norway and establishing our own office in Tromsø. The establishment of the office marks a milestone in the company's growth in the north, and is being done to meet the growing number of projects, customers and partners in Tromsø and the region in general.

The establishment comes as a result of great interest in the office's projects and an increasing order intake in northern Norway. We look forward to working more locally and getting even closer to our projects and, not least, our local partners, in order to create good buildings and urban spaces throughout the country.

- We are currently working on everything from large urban development measures in Tromsø to a smaller destination hotel in Buvika. Northern Norway is an incredibly beautiful part of the country and we are very happy to take an active part in the development here, says Tord Kvien.

The office in Tromsø will be led by Tord, who was born and raised in the area. He has extensive experience from project management and development of well-known buildings such as The Edge hotel and Skaret hotel, as well as the rehabilitation and extension of the landmark Rødbank quarter.

- We look forward to contributing with large and small transformation projects, either in the form of larger measures that repair city structures, the establishment of new buildings with a little extra, or the rehabilitation of existing buildings.

The office has worked on a variety of projects in northern Norway over many years. With projects such as The Edge and Rødbanken, Nielstorp+ has made valuable contributions to the architecture and urban development of Tromsø. The creation of a permanent presence enables an even closer engagement with the region and will contribute to a better understanding and adaptation of the architecture and the experience of it.
We look forward to continuing our journey in the north and welcome our customers, partners and those interested in architecture to visit us at our new office in Strandgata 9.

New owners in NIELSTORP+ architects

11 September 2023/in New grant /by Herman Hagelsteen

NIELSTORP+ architects are excited to announce a generational change in the company. This strategic shift represents a new era, with a seamless transition that lays a strong foundation for the way forward.

Niels A. Torp, founder and former principal owner, has sold his share and is moving from being a professional leader to having an advisory role. The change of ownership comes as a result of a planned process, where the current group of partners together with the general manager take over the ownership and ensure continuity and continuation of the company's values and expertise.

- This has been a wild, happy, dramatic and sometimes strange working community, with a lot of seriousness and cheerfulness, personal friendship and intense work with numerous competitions: a richly inclusive architectural life!', says Niels A. Torp. "The competitions have taken us from Oslo to Shanghai, Macao, Mauritius, Bonn, Leipzig, Belfast, Cardiff, Amman, Klaipeda, London, Newbury, Helsinki, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Gothenburg, Borås, Umeå, etc., with significant involvement in all current matters that concern the curious architect, says Torp, who is now 83.

The office's architecture will continue to be tailored for each unique location, with the human scale as the guiding star. Design that unites artistic qualities and commercial needs will now be shaped and led by the office's new generation of architects.

This generational shift is the result of a natural evolution in the company's development. The office has now established a diverse group of owners with solid professional expertise and between continuity and innovation. Deeply rooted in experience, market insight and a clear focus on sustainability, our architects and interior designers will develop exciting projects in collaboration with our customers. Together, we look forward to contributing to better, more sensual and inspiring environments.

New district in Tromsø

16 August 2023/in Housing project, Suggestion, Nutrition, Rehabilitation /by Herman Hagelsteen

Nielstorp+ architects are now designing a new district in Tromsø for Pellerin Eiendom inspired by the city's maritime history.
A large quarter is divided into smaller volumes that play on Tromsø's maritime building tradition.
Three large, wharf-like volumes at street level resemble the old wooden wharves that were here in the past. Between these are passages and an atrium that open up to both the seafront and urban life in Strandgata.
Above the quay volumes, housing is established in three slender towers, with light and air between them. The view from the city behind, Strandtorget and Storgata is protected with sight lines and a gap between the towers.
The towers have approximately 100 apartments, and these are connected by close-layers and communal functions on the roof on level 5. Meeting places, communal kitchens, roof terraces and social zones recreate the neighborhood feeling that Tromsø has had here in Strandgata for several hundred years.
The architecture plays on the contrast between the heavier materials in the lower part and light materials above. The quay buildings have solid and robust brick facades, with firm dimensions and good material quality, and thick walls that frame public life on a weather-exposed quay front. The towers are made of glass and metal, with transparent materials and reflective glass surfaces that give a light, snappy feel.
Good street spaces are important, and the quay buildings' 4 floors frame the street in a way that takes the human scale into account. Tangible and beautiful materials are used to create warmth and give an inviting touch, and it is built solidly so that it retains an appealing touch for many years to come.
Above street level, the building is withdrawn. The facades in the height are lighter and transparent and should provide play of light, reflections and transparent effects. By allowing the towers to have a different type of light and bright architecture, these will stand out from the heavier quay buildings below. The impression of the quarter is that of a complex district with many different buildings, and with exciting openings, openings and passages through. This is important to recreate liveliness and variety in use and public life - similar to what was here before, but now in a new way.
The area is approximately 22,000m2, and the tallest tower is 15 storeys.

Approved framework permit for Kristian Augusts gate 7A

12 June 2023/in Listed, Rehabilitation /by Herman Hagelsteen

Our rehab/transformation project in Kristian Augusts gate 7A has received an approved framework permit. The combination of skilled project owners in Karlander Eiendom and close and follow-up dialogue with the authorities and Byantikvaren is yielding results and we are looking forward to transforming what will become one of the city's finest block of flats!

The Rødbank quarter - rehabilitation and connection

6 March 2023/in Listed, Rehabilitation /by Herman Hagelsteen

In Tromsø, we have transformed and built new in the Rødbank quarter.

Reuse and transformation are placed in a larger context here. The quarter repairs the city around it, and tells about Tromsø's building history.

This is perhaps the city's most central site, but the quarter was closed, repulsive and dark until the redevelopment.

A new solution is to open up the quarter to an internal public square with entrances and access from all sides.

Outdoors, the new building provides seating and living areas, and the old facades are opened up for outdoor dining.

Dilapidated city spaces are repaired. Forgotten back streets are opened up and original casement windows are reconstructed to provide pleasant experiences with beautiful details.

The quarter's old architecture is reinterpreted and given an answer in the new building to give a whole. The older buildings have shapes, colours, materials and proportions that are repeated in the new building, with the help of modern technology.

Tromsø's iconic modernist architecture from architect Inge Hovig (The Ice Cathedral and others) provided inspiration for lighting the facades in the winter darkness. His first Tromsø project was a forgotten interior in this quarter, and parts from this are now resurrected in a transformed version with new materials.

In the Rødbank quarter, transformation of the existing building stock provides added value beyond the functional and spatial program of the project.

It repairs the urban environment around it, creates new common meeting places and has a design where the city's older architecture has provided the "DNA code" for new solutions. One avoids contrast for contrast's sake, and rather creates a unifying whole where different times are united.

The Rødbank quarter is a new open quarter in the city which is the result of the total rehabilitation of two older brick buildings and a new extension with efficient office workplaces.

The new architecture takes up elements from the old. Lines, ceiling angles, heights and materials are the same.

The quarter's own character is reinforced. The new building meets the street with seating, entrances and openness to be welcoming so that the previously closed quarter is opened up

up and invites you in to a shared inner square.

The Rødbank quarter is a new open quarter in the city which is the result of the total rehabilitation of two older brick buildings and a new extension with efficient office workplaces.

The new architecture takes up elements from the old. Lines, ceiling angles, heights and materials are the same.

The quarter's own character is reinforced. The new building faces the street with seating, entrances and openness to be welcoming.

A closed quarter opens up and invites you in to a shared interior square.

In the Rødbankkvartalet's atrium, the old buildings have the same color as outside.

Structures in the existing building are painted brown-black to resemble cast iron, while in the new building a lighter warm/grey/brown color has been used.

The floor on the first floor is a square with cobblestones to show that this is a shared urban space.

The wood on the curved staircase wall down to the restaurant provides warmth and an intimate scale.

The details of the wall are taken from architect Jan Inge Hovig's staircase wall that was once here in the '60s. Hovig's curved dark blue ceramic tiles are copied in oak.

We want to tell Tromsø's exciting history as a framework around a pleasant meeting place in the middle of the city.

Extreme (sustainable) renovation

30 January 2023/in Rehabilitation /by Herman Hagelsteen

How do you refurbish an office space with a very high degree of reuse and with a result that shows that the tenant is a company that develops world-leading robotics? This was the challenge Nielstorp+ architects faced when the growth company Saga Robotics was to move into new premises at Alexander Kiellands plass in Oslo. The office building they were originally in was to be demolished, which gave them the opportunity to take material with them to the next office. The choice fell on the 4th floor of a business complex in Waldemar Thranes gate 84B. The task was to arrange offices, meeting rooms, social zones, kitchens and a closed research lab.

Saga Robotics develops Thorvald robots that perform tasks for agriculture so that food production is optimized in a sustainable way, for example by eliminating the use of pesticides. Sustainability is a central and natural part of their work and it was therefore important that the renovation of their new office premises reflected this.

"We had a clear ambition that our new office premises should reflect our technological work in solving the sustainability challenges of the future. It has been incredibly exciting to work with skilled interior architects who have found good solutions where extensive reuse has not come at the expense of quality. On the contrary, we are now sitting in unique premises with tailor-made solutions that more than answer what we wanted". Anne Dingstad, CEO Saga Robotics AS

As a growth company, the budget was limited, so the challenge for the interior architects was therefore to look at how to create modern office premises for a technology company using the consistent reuse of materials. Everything from mouldings, glass walls, doors, hand cranks – and even plasterboard was reused. Used furniture was given a refresh with paint and new furniture was built from old robot parts.

"As architects and interior designers, we are very aware of our responsibility for sustainability. A successful rehabilitation and upgrade identifies the measures that optimize the areas, bring out the potential and at the same time facilitate the needs of the users. Recycling is sustainable both for the environment and the wallet, and the new bespoke premises for Saga Robotics show that it can look new and fresh, even with the reuse of materials." Herman Hagelsteen, Partner, Nielstorp+ architects

In order to achieve a sustainable office interior, we always have a spotlight on the layout. Clear walkways and zoning where noise and traffic do not disturb work-intensive areas. It is opened up so that daylight from window surfaces in facades reaches far into the room, transparent glass walls shield against sound while not closing the room and creating dark areas. Glass walls invite openness and make it easy to find your way around the premises. Focal points such as striking walls at the end of corridors, here with the company's logo, lead you further into the room. The use of entire picture walls showing the company's activities adds color to the interior while emphasizing the open team zone.

At Saga Robotics, the agricultural robot Thorvald is in focus, by playing with components from the robot's production to interior details such as an open shelf system and silent pod/telephone box, the company's identity is integrated into the office environment. The glass wall between the physical workshop, laboratory and office workplaces makes the company's identity clear to visitors and everyone who works there.

From the entrance door to the office floor, visitors are greeted by the company's logo and a slanted wall invites to an open and informal seating area by the daylight facade and proximity to meeting rooms.

Research lab on the left with offices and social zone in open landscape on the right.

The area has windows on each side that provide plenty of daylight to all rooms.

A shelf section that delimits office spaces in the open landscape and a seating area is made from a dismantled agricultural robot.

Aluminum sign with lighting

News