Oslo has unveiled its masterplan for a 4 million-square-metre energy positive airport city. The Norwegian capital, whose airport already boasts what is considered the world’s greenest terminal, has released plans for a city next to Oslo Airport that will be entirely powered by renewable energy and serviced by driverless vehicles.
Norwegian firms Haptic Architects and Nordic Office of Architecture didn’t settle for conventional environmentally-sustainable design approaches when they released their intentions to transform the Oslo Airport City (OAC) into an entirely energy self-sufficient transport hub.
With ambitions to become the “first energy positive airport city,” the 4 million-square-metre (988-acre) development, planned beside the Oslo airport will be equipped to sell surplus energy to surrounding buildings and cities.
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Reflecting the Norwegian government’s commitment to shift to a low-carbon economy, OAC will function as a “test-bed” for a city driven by smart technologies, through programs like electric vehicles, auto-lighting for the streets, and smart applications for mobility, waste and security management.
The architects have promised that its residents will never be more than five minutes away from public transport with a car-free city centre.
Director of Haptic Architects Tomas Stokke describes the planning process as a unique opportunity to design a new city from scratch.
“Using robust city planning strategies such as walkability, appropriate densities, active frontages and a car free city centre, combined with the latest developments in technology, we will be able to create a green sustainable city of the future,” he said.
Oslo Airport’s workforce is expected to almost double from 22,000 employees to 40,000 by 2050.
OAC will take 30 years to build, with construction of the first stage expected to begin in 2019-2020. The airport plans to operate its first electric fleet starting in 2025.
