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An interview with Håvard Slinde, who led the project on behalf of Nordic Office of Architecture, about the importance of wood to provide a softer, harmonious feel.
Norway’s National Police Emergency Response Unit deals with the serious business of preventing, averting and controlling extraordinary events and crises. The design was developed by Nordic Office of Architecture, a practice which has recently united with Kristin Jarmund Architects and has offices in Oslo, Copenhagen and Reykjavik.
The brief, says Håvard Slinde, associate partner and senior project leader with Nordic, was to “represent the unit’s main objective as a public service for security, effectiveness, and calmness, as well as seamlessly blending the building into the landscape.”
This colocation project consists of a total of 35,000m² across several buildings. There is space for Norway’s task force and bomb squad among other services, as well as housing cargo helicopters capable of transporting trained police officers, plus their equipment, to the entire country.
The scheme has state-of-the-art training facilities for police officers from throughout the country to come and learn and also has facilities for joint training sessions with the Norwegian Armed Forces as well as international personnel.
Materials-wise Slinde continues, “We used solid and durable materials that not only evoke robustness but also pick up colours from the surrounding environment.” The number of materials was kept to a minimum and included perforated steel, concrete, and timber, as well as bricks done with a variety of masonry techniques to create beautiful, textured details.
“Following our traditional Nordic design approach, we used a small range of materials with a focus on their structural abilities to enhance the quality.” Even the artwork used for the project was specifically designed to match the use of materials and convey the building’s purpose. Works including ‘Pond’ by textile artist Kari Dyrdal and ‘Fra Dovremassivet’, a piece by Erlend Leirdal, enhance the foyer and canteen areas.
The use of oak, Slinde goes on to say, softens the otherwise hard materials. Gustafs Panel System was used across large areas in the entrance and main building. “The colder colours in the concrete enhance the warm and colourful oak in the Gustafs panels used in the walls and ceiling. Together with the oak, this forms an elegant match that ages with dignity regardless of shifting trends in architectural design.”
He continues, “Nordic Office of Architecture was very impressed to see the combination of acoustic abilities and microperforated natural wood in the Gustafs panels. The tight joints make the surfaces even and seamless, while the quality of the finish works well with the high standards expected in this type of government project.”
Slinde concludes by saying. “The Ministry of Justice and the Police force are proud of their new home, as are we, architects at Nordic Office of Architecture.”
Project photos: Knut Ramstad
Underpinned by our Scandinavian design heritage, we bring you regular stories about architecture and interiors, exploring natural materials, acoustics, and the creation of safe and harmonious environments.
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