Project:
PULS Medusa

About

• Project description

  The PULS_medusa project focuses on the strengthening of local movement, environment and identity, as well as on the connection to existing living areas. The qualities of outdoor, public space, common space, and private indoor space, are the important matters for the project, along with the importance of mixed programmes (commerce and common functions mixed with housing/private, common and public space). The “Puls_medusa” structure got its form from vacant public space and movement. The structure’s characteristic long bands buckle and bend in a snake-like movement, stretching from the south end to the north end of the site, defining continuous, asymmetric spaces in-between the structure’s arms. PULS_medusa is simply about how ‘individual needs’ and ‘public needs’ enter into dialogue to make good conditions for themselves, each other and the existing situation in Åsane.

  

• Jury remarks

  PULS Medusa takes the completely opposite position in the theme of how to counteract the infrastructural barriers, focusing its energy on connecting the site to the housing areas to the east.

  Consequently, the response to the question of how to link local and regional scales is avoided. Focus is on the small-scale, residential community and local qualities. Turning its back towards the regional passer-bys, retail and office activities are located along the local road on the east side of the site. In this way, commercial activities are denied the possible synergy with the existing center. Although the project does not give Åsane a strong new dynamic, the project is interesting because it clearly states that the residential program is a key to how Åsane can become an attractive place to live.

  PULS Medusa is not based on connecting to the existing center, but connecting to the existing residential areas. In this way PM121 uses new housing and commercial activities adapted to the local level as a motor for giving new momentum to the urbanization of Åsane.
  PULS Medusa contributes with an important investigation on how Åsane can be mended on the local level. It questions if it is right to introduce the urban structure and functional mix by inserting further heavy commercial investments. On the other hand, jury is concerned is that this strategy might be missing some of the real estate potential offered by the site.

• Team

  Tyra VAAGLAND (NL), architect

  Architecture Students:
  Thomas AAKERØY (NL/UK)
  Ingvild E. BENNET (NL/UK)
  Alver Guro RØD (NL)