60 624 CAP – the Civic Architecture Project: Arena oXlo (Spring 2027)

The studio is part of the Civic Architecture Project Series that explores civic architecture as a foundation for sustainable urban development. Civic architecture is a strategic driver of contemporary urban transformation. Public buildings, spaces, and institutions shape urban identity, accessibility, and social life. Positioned at the intersection of public space and public service, civic architecture plays a central role in urban regeneration, densification, and sustainable development. It accommodates collective activities, facilitates social interaction, and provides spaces for gathering, exchange, and public life.

Central to this course is the exploration of civic architecture as an urban framework: spatial structures that extend and reinforce the public realm, connecting buildings, public spaces, and surrounding neighbourhoods. Civic architecture mediates between scales—from the body to the territory—and integrates urbanism, landscape, architecture, material culture, and spatial ethics. How can civic architecture produce spatial qualities and tangible urban value beyond its immediate functional purpose?

Previous studios in the Civic Architecture Project Series have explored a range of civic building typologies, including railway stations, public swimming pools, ferry terminals, and museum extensions. Through the lens of their public interiors, investigating their architectural form and articulation, as well as their role in shaping public life and social interaction.

Spring 2027, CAP will investigate the programming, location and design of a large-scale arena in the Oslo area. This civic architecture represents a fundamental historic typology – currently in rapid evolution as a performative multifunctional stage, quickly transformable from sports to entertainment, from inside to outside, from national soccer fields to highly competitive concert arenas and other event-based programs.

Scale itself becomes a measure for sustainability in a regional, national, Scandinavian and international context of public and social interaction.

After successfully completing the course, you have acquired the following knowledge:

• Knowledge of how architectural designs can be used strategically in urban transformation processes.

• Knowledge of approaches and techniques for the design of civic architecture with focus on “public interiors” and added value in urban contexts.

You have acquired the following skills, and should be able to:

• Analyse quantitative and qualitative data and utilise them in an iterative design process to conceptualise and articulate architectural designs.

• Articulate multiple design scenarios and selecting a specific design approach within a realistic framework in dialogue with stakeholders.

You have acquired the following general competencies, and should be able to;

• Navigate complex urban conditions and translate environmental and technical knowledge into precise and resilient design proposals.

• Critical thinking in programming and design of a complex public building reflecting on its impact on society, context and landscape.

• Use comparative studies of relevant typologies, as design technique for advancing your project.

• Integrate knowledge from multiple disciplines, relevant expertise and precedents into the design process.

• Communicate ideas and impact of urban transformation, development, and performance to a professional audience.

• Studio teaching & Project Development with Desk Crits, Pin Ups, Midterm, Finals. The process includes research, workshops, lectures & study trip.

• The course is organised into several modules with individual hand-ins. Reference studies and urban analysis frame the development of concepts that become concrete, precise architectural designs, through an iterative process of models and drawings discussed in desk crits and reviews.

• Studio days are Mondays and Thursdays

Physical attendance at lectures, reviews, supervision sessions, discussions, and other educational activities is expected and necessary in order to achieve the learning outcomes

Assessment method: Project

Grouping: combination of group and individual work

Grading scale: Pass/fail

In order to be assessed in this course, the student must have completed the following activities and assignments:

Hand ins of initial phases of site analysis and precedent studies and a detailed architectural project. The final project consists of physical and digital models of the architectural project, presented through models and 2D and 3D drawings.

The submitted material will be presented by the student in a final review with a juried critique by an external censor and faculty