Henning Larsen

In the heart of Oslo, Lilletorget 1 is set to redefine Vaterland with the transformation of the existing building, creating an impact that extends beyond its walls. At the intersection of three inner city districts, right at the most important public transport hub, the Vaterland area of Oslo will flourish anew through the transformation and extension of the building at Lilletorget 1 and the Vaterland Park, designed by Danish landscape architects SLA. Our design of Lilletorget 1 aims to contribute to the comprehensive development of the Vaterland area, where the building and park activities collaborate to support an inclusive, save and diverse urban space unlocking the area's inherent potential. Lilletorget 1 is designed to meet the city at eye level, with three lower floors welcoming everyone with public spaces and activities that establish an active city center. With a focus on street-level interaction with open facades, the design aims to create a seamless blend of office users, visitors, and neighborhood residents. Discover more about the project here https://hnglr.sn/3RzYc1v. Visuals by Vivid-Vision.

As part of the the pilot fellowship program by Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction, the foundation has joined forces with ULI New York for an open-to-all event at the AIA New York | Center for Architecture. The event will celebrate the work of the 15 talented fellows, and also feature a panel discussion on "Decarbonization at Scale." I am so excited to see what the fellows come up with, and also to share the stage with Dan Brodkin, Chas Peppers, Saba Carmel Meidany, and David Benjamin, for the discussion. Our Henning Larsen New York team will also participate as one of the collaborators in the 2-week long fellowship, alongside Arup and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), where we will be holding lectures, workshops and discussions with the fellows. Details for registration: https://lnkd.in/e_A_4qEn

There are many misconceptions when it comes to straw and reed in construction. That's why we sat down with Industrial PhD fellow and Architect, Magnus Reffs Kramhøft to challenge these falsehoods. Providing you with the facts and debunking myths about the ancient construction materials, we hope to inspire you to join us in rewriting the ending to the fable of "The Three Little Pigs". Read the full guide to designing with straw and reed here https://hnglr.sn/42qlHwe. Photos of Sundby School's thatched facade by Rasmus Hjortshøj.

Prior to development, Kampung Admiralty was an empty lot and car park between residential towers housing an elderly population, a marketplace, and a train station. Seeking to promote social interactions and well-being across an inter-generational community, the mixed-use development, designed by WOHA Architects, integrates landscape design to offer indoor and outdoor spaces for people to enjoy. Characterized by its terraced rooftops, Kampung Admiralty comprises a total of 1.2 acres of self-irrigating landscape with a total of 730 trees of 58 different species, over 80,000 shrubs of 66 different species, and an intricate hydrolic network. Utilizing the site’s terraced orientation, the system collects, cleanses, and stores stormwater to be reused as irrigation, allowing for more than 1 million gallons of tap water to be conserved each year. Other nature-based water retention features, including an eco-pond and a central raingarden, further support biodiversity. The project’s many facilities include a vibrant People’s Plaza with sheltered community spaces, a retail center, a medical center spread out across two floors, a tranquil community park that includes a senior care center, senior activity center, childcare center, and sky terrace, as well as studio apartments for seniors. Learn all about the project here https://hnglr.sn/45Dag7W. Images by Lim Wei Xiang.

Construction is underway for the new NEOMA Business School in northern France. Located west of the center of Reims, the new 26,000 m² business campus will accommodate 4700 students. The hybrid timber campus will transform the area of Port Colbert, a semi-abandoned former industrial site that used to house multiple city industries while preserving the identity of the district, its history, and its industrial heritage. As is often the case in centrally located former industrial areas, budding small businesses and local “pop-up” events can now be found populating Port Colbert. The new NEOMA campus is inspired by this entrepreneurial atmosphere that has changed the area from a geographical location to a place on people's minds. The school features 85 classrooms, three auditoriums, and an event space with a 750-seat auditorium and exterior access. The incorporation of wood and glass promotes a friendly atmosphere and floods the school interior with light. Read more about the project here https://hnglr.sn/42ICGvN. In collaboration with Patriarche. Augmented Architecture, Egis, Elioth, by Egis, ETAMINE, ACOUSTB, and Creafactory. Visuals by Vivid-Vision and Sora.

"Set to be one of North America’s biggest development sites, the project begs the question of whether such a large-scale project can truly meet the moment, in terms of what Toronto, and cities in general, need when social safety nets are fraying," writes Fast Company. Downsview today, is home to over 35,000 residents but is divided by roads, rail lines, and the former Downsview Airport/Bombardier Airbase. With the airbase ending its operations, the 520-acre site – roughly the same size as Toronto’s downtown – offers an immense opportunity for the rapidly growing city. Read the full feature of the Downsview Framework Plan in Fast Company below. The Downsview Framework Plan is done in collaboration with Northcrest Developments, Canada Lands Company / Société Immobilière du Canada, SLA, Urban Strategies Inc. and KPMB Architects.

Welcome to Jurong Lake Gardens. Exemplifying Singapore's vision as a ‘City in Nature’ and informed by extensive public engagement, the lakeside park restores the original natural environment, enhancing climate resilience and biodiversity while connecting people to local flora and fauna. Revitalizing the site’s original freshwater swamp forest, which was cleared with the area’s industrial development in the 1960s, Jurong Lake Gardens provides a home for recreation and community activities as well as a vibrant green lung amid a developing urban district. Informed by over 17,000 suggestions collected through an engagement process spanning several years, the design of the park and gardens mindfully invites the particular needs of diverse user groups, offering a canvas for a variety of recreation and community activities. The first national gardens in the heartlands of Singapore, the area has drawn millions of visitors annually since its opening in 2019. Curious to learn more? Read more here https://hnglr.sn/4e0KEFA. Photos by Finbarr Fallon

Malan has been part of the team since 2015, working as a Landscape Architect in both Denmark and the Faroe Islands. We sat down with her to reflect on her motivations and achievements throughout her career at Henning Larsen. "I am the only landscape architect in our small team, so I have the privilege of working on many different projects. From small scale streetscapes to larger urban plans. Although diverse in scale and theme, one thing that projects often have in common is the opportunity to make an impact. By making small alterations or interventions we can change how spaces are perceived and used by people," says Malan. Learn more about her journey here https://hnglr.sn/3L04unl. Image of Klaksvik City Center by Nic Lehoux.

How do we beat the heat? In-house industrial PhD Fellow Gulin Yazicioglu spends her time researching how we can mitigate the urban heat island effect in the future: "I'm investigating transformative potential of green infrastructure in shaping the the future resilience of cities. In the retrofitting of our cities, integrating greenery in alignment with urban layouts becomes incredibly important, contributing not only to temperature regulation but also improving overall environmental sustainability and biodiversity." Part of the research includes explorations of future scenarios in cities around the world, starting with Copenhagen. 👇

Every aspect of urban development can contribute to heat amplification, ranging from the design of buildings to the vehicles used for transportation. The New York Times explores innovative efforts in Singapore to mitigate the 'urban heat island effect' and cool the city down. The story highlights our design for Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, "Air temperature measurements show that Singapore’s 155-acre Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park can be up to about 2 degrees cooler than high-density residential blocks in the middle of the city." Researchers suggest that large green spaces such as parks offer a practical intervention with the ability to cool areas extending beyond their immediate vicinity. Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park is part of Singapore's network of green corridors that connect green spaces together and allow cool air to flow throughout the city. These initiatives and adjustments alone cannot bring about the large scale changes needed to slow the current rise in temperature, but they can offer creative approaches working toward urban resiliency. To learn more, find the full article here https://hnglr.sn/3L9Sa3X. Discover more about Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park here: https://hnglr.sn/4erRNix. Images by Shiang Han Lim