Many reception centers that accommodate asylum-seekers are located in remote areas, secluded from their surroundings, and far from urban centers, commercial offers, and public life. The design and programming of Growing Tøyen were based on the following considerations: How can an urban strategy be developed which combines temporary and permanent housing that accommodates new arrivals while also including urban design interventions that are attractive for the entire Tøyen neighborhood? The Growing Tøyen project proposes a different kind of reception facility for asylum-seekers with a design that ensures a high degree of livability while maintaining the capacity to accommodate many people with short notice. The proposal incorporates the needs of the existing Tøyen population, safe public spaces, and places with low-threshold recreational and cultural offerings.
Growing Tøyen
The main structure of the Growing Tøyen project proposal is a large greenhouse with public functions and temporary accommodation units equipped with infrastructure and integrated furniture. The greenhouse provides a physical framework in which the living units can be installed according to the fluctuating needs and quantity of arrivals. At the same time, the permanent structure functions as a meeting place for neighborhood residents year-round.
The greenhouse was chosen as a program for the common facilities due to the popularity of urban allotment gardens in Oslo. Studies of Oslo allotment garden culture have shown that gardeners are found in all segments of Oslo’s society and have various socioeconomic backgrounds. Theses studies also conclude that the urban gardeners feel healthier because of access to and the opportunity to spend time in these spaces.