This project proposal explores the duality between everyday life and a state of emergency in a community, as well as the opportunities that lie between these states. The main structure of the project is a 300-meter-long building that connects neighborhood resources to spaces that can accommodate 250 people at any time in case of emergency. The project proposes a city-level strategy by presenting the strip of St. Halvards Gate as a case for developing a neighborhood-level contingency plan.
Despite lower wages and higher rates of unemployment compared to average Oslo numbers (SSB, 2019), there are several well-organized initiatives in the Gamlebyen district of Oslo. The area has for years been lacking an overall strategic zoning plan, unlike other parts of the city. Consequentially, the area has experienced slower urban development, and the several available open spaces and low-cost sites for rent have been utilized for local projects by community actors.
The urban landscape of Gamlebyen is dominated by railway tracks and Bane NOR, a state-owned company responsible for the Norwegian national railway infrastructure and one of the most influential stakeholders in the area. The Bane NOR plot stretches from east to the city center, resulting in vast areas of land owned by the state-owned developer. For maintenance and safety concerns, there is a buffer area (a continuous eight-meter offset in both directions of the tracks) which is also owned by the same company. This piece of land is currently not used by the owner but instead used by the neighborhood residents. Initiatives such as urban farming, skateparks, concert and theatre stages, and bicycle repair shops are examples of programs that occupy these plots, provided through temporary permits. The strategy proposed in the Resourceful Community project is to establish a permanent physical presence of these initiatives to withstand urban development projects pushing people out of their neighborhoods and to include the state-owned plot of land in contingency plans for Gamlebyen district.
The Oslo municipality mandates each major institution to have its own contingency plan but also relies on the concept of self-reliability: Every citizen must be prepared to take care of themselves for a certain amount of time during an emergency. The urban strategy outlined in The Resourceful Community merges the municipal contingency approach, where individuals, small businesses, and big businesses collaborate during a state of emergency. The project proposes how to prepare a neighborhood to fill this role and to act together by utilizing and amplifying existing resources, improving spatial conditions, and adding spaces for other functions.