Europan 16
Living cities

This session invited the participants to take a systemic approach to all streams of life and energy that help shape our society with particular focus on providing vulnerable groups and imperilled ecosystems the consideration they need to build equitable communities.

Key dates

Registrations open: 27.03.2021
Submission deadline: 30.07.2021
Winners announced: 04.12.2021

This year's theme

Each session of Europan has a theme connecting all the sites. In E16 it was Living cities: Metabolic Vitalities and Inclusive Vitalities

Four sites from Norway

ranging from experimental housing and regnerative urban plans to the design of a new library. Explore the sites and competition entries below.

The jury

The jury of Europan Norway consists of both international and Norwegian experts within the field of urban planning and architecture.

Øystein Rø (NO)

M.Arch. MNAL and Partner Transborders studio, former secretary of Europan Norway

Øystein Rø is architect and founding partner of Transborder Studio. Transborder Studio is an Oslo-based office working on projects in the fields of architecture and urbanism, with a particular focus on cities, green living, reuse and spaces for culture. Transborder works on all scales, from small interventions to large urban projects, often with a unique blend of program, context and history. Øystein Rø was also the co-founder of the art and architecture gallery 0047 in Berlin and Oslo (2004-2014), a work he received the Norsk form prize for young architects for in 2011 and Oslo Architect’s Association’s prize in 2014. Between 2008 and 2018 Rø was secretary-general of Europan Norway. He has his education from NTNU in Trondheim and TU in Berlin.
Aga Skorupka (PL)

Head of social science at Rodeo Architects

Aga Skorupka is the head of the social science team in Rodeo architects. She holds a PhD from City University of New York in environmental psychology, which is an interdisciplinary study of transactions between people and their physical environments. She likes to think of her work as evidence-based placemaking, where data informs both public participation, planning and policymaking. Aga is originally polish and the combination of her immigrant and academic backgrounds makes her especially apt to work with socio-spatial justice issues in urban planning. Some of her other areas of expertise include spatial analysis, social sustainability and walkability issues. (Photo Anne Valeur)
Berit Skarholt (NO)

Deputy Director, Department for Planning, Norwegian Ministry of Local Government and Modernisation (KMD)

Berit Skarholt graduated from the Faculty of Architecture and Fine Arts at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in 1982. After 9 years in two architect studios, she was 15 years in Statsbygg, the Norwegian government`s building commissioner and property manager, in different roles and phases of projects. She has been a jury member in a broad range of architectural competitions. She was Head of the Department for Area Development in the City Planning and Building Agency of Oslo (PBE) and is now in the Department for Planning in KMD. Planning of cities and architectural quality are the main issues, including challenges and possibilities in small and medium-sized towns. She has been a member of the board of the National Association of Norwegian Architects (NAL) and the board of the Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research (NIKU).
Nina Lundvall (SE)

Associate Director Caruso St John Architects LLP

Nina Lundvall studied architecture at Chalmers and London Metropolitan University, graduating in 2002. Her diploma project ‘Caravanserai: Making a Place for Transitional Urban Dwellings’ was awarded the RIBA silver medal for best design project. She has worked for Florian Beigel & ARU, Tony Fretton Architects and David Chipperfield Architects before joining Caruso St John Architects in 2011, where she is an Associate Director since 2016. She is also a Director of Archipelago with James Payne, a framework for public and private projects and open collaborations with other designers and disciplines. In parallel with practising, Nina Lundvall has taught at KTH, Chalmers, London Metropolitan University (the Cass), Central Saint Martins and Nottingham University. She is external examiner for the Diploma Thesis course at AHO, and previously at KTH and Chalmers.
Sabine Müller (DE)

Principal of SMAQ / Professor at Oslo School of Architecture

Sabine Müller is Professor of Urbanism at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design, Norway. She is an architect and the principal of SMAQ Architecture Urbanism and Research in Berlin. With SMAQ Sabine Müller has won several competitions in Germany and Europe. SMAQ’s master plans for Wolfsburg’s new residential area, as well as a harbour conversion in Bremen are in development. In 2020 she received the State Prize for Architecture of Lower Saxony. Her research focuses on urban design at the intersection of architecture, urbanism and landscape, acknowledging infrastructure, ecology and processes of inhabitation as drivers of the urban environment. Together with Andreas Quednau she published Charter of Dubai (Jovis, 2012) and Giraffes, Telegraphes and Hero of Alexandria – Urban Design by Narration (Ruby Press, 2017).
Wenche Dramstad (NO)

Head of Research in the Landscape Monitoring Department at NIBIO

Wenche Dramstad is a senior research scientist at the Norwegian Institute for Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO). She has a Master’s degree (MSc) in the management of natural resources (1990) and a PhD in landscape ecology (1997) from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU). During her PhD, she spent a semester at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University, where her interest was spurred in strengthening the integration of ecology and design. This was also where the book “Landscape ecology principles in landscape architecture and land-use planning” was developed, which she co-authored. As a landscape ecologist, she has a fascination for the content and composition of the landscape, how the landscape functions as a mosaic, the spatial distribution of different landscape elements, their quality and how they change.
Merete Gunnes (NO)

Jury substitute - M.Sc Landscape architect MNLA

Merete Gunnes is landscape architect and founder of TAG landscape/TAG arkitekter as. Merete has experience from different companies such as The municipality of Oslo, Asplan Viak, Arkitektgruppen Cubus, and TAG. Her expertise lies in urban development and design of urban spaces, parks, and residential areas with projects all around Norway, but most projects are along the Norwegian coast. She has a strong commitment to the use of local materials and designs that reinforce the local or site-specific identity. Focus on environmentally friendly solutions and good principles in relation to stormwater is the basis of all projects in addition to facilitating for social interaction. Currently, she is working with different urban spaces and parks in Bergen.
Joakim Skajaa (NO)

Architect, founder of SKAJAA Arkitektkontor, curator at the National Museum, Oslo.

Joakim Skajaa is a registered MNAL architect, graduated from Bergen School of Architecture (BAS) in 2004. He runs the architectural firm SKAJAA Arkitektkontor and is curator of contemporary architecture at the National Museum in Oslo. He is a teacher, former vice-rector and associate professor at BAS and has also taught at the Oslo School of Architecture (AHO). He was the leader of the Oslo Architects’ Association (OAF) from 2017-19. Together with Arild Eriksen, Skajaa won Europan 10 at Haugerud in Groruddalen in 2009.
Linn Runeson (SE)

Architect, Urbanist and co-founder/Managing Director at edit AS.

Linn Runeson is an architect, urbanist, managing director and founder of edit — an atelier that is active within the fields of landscape, urbanism, planning and architecture in Oslo, Norway. The studio won Europan 15 in Borås, Sweden with the proposal “Made in Borås”. Linn has worked for Helen & Hard, LALA, A-lab, and for the municipality of Kristianstad, Sweden. She has a masters degree in architecture from Lunds University, and has studied industrial design at Umeå University, she has also had several exhibitions of her painted works. Currently she is working on several transformation projects, and is passionate about creating meaningful, and sustainable environments for all living kinds.