Ås

Ås is a municipality on the outskirts of the capital region of Oslo, and is now seeing clear signs of a capital with expansive growth that lacks space for both housing and industry, with the result of increased pressure on its surrounding areas. Among the municipalities in the region, the forecasted population growth in Ås is among the highest, with a doubling from approximately 18 000 inhabitants in 2013 to approximately 32 000 inhabitants in 2040.

Ås’s growth in population and the town’s adaptation to this creates two main challenges; on one hand meeting the regional housing demand, and at the same time seeing how this adapts to Ås’ local conditions. Ås is the largest agricultural municipality of Akershus and home to the Norwegian University of Life Sciences. An overarching objective for the competition is to better connect the university life with the urban life of Ås centre.

Politicians, planners, developers and the university have joined forces in the Europan competition to see how they can utilize a central plot to take Ås further. 

How can this site represent something different and unique, compared to what has emerged so far? 

How can the site act as an example to follow for the future, where the demand of dense development is balanced with urban spaces of high quality? 

How can the site contribute to strengthening the connection with its surroundings and trigger the creation of a territorial network? 

How can the site contribute to a more advanced co-existence between Às and the university? 

The municipality wants to view the development of the site through four lenses; the growth city (the ability to absorb growth), the university town (to strengthen the relationship between municipality and university), the edge city (where the rural and urban meets) and finally through the culture town (using cultural program as a tool for development).