Statoil: Convergence for Innovation

The new Statoil regional and international offices at Fornebu is result of an open competition won by Norwegian architects a-lab in February 2009, with completion of the building in the autumn of 2012. The iconic structure seeks to reflect Statoil’s role as an innovative and internationally pioneering petroleum company as well as giving a new identity and pulse to the local environment.

The new office building stands on the site of the old airport’s multi-storey car park. The structure consists of five office lamellas of identical size, stacked on top of each other. The concept minimizes the environmental footprint of the building and gives a generous amount of space to the surrounding park.

This year the project Statoil won the World Architecture Festival (WAF) in Singapore in the category “Office.” The judges said, ‘This was a comprehensive and integrated project that merges modular construction and cost effectiveness in a modern Scandanavian way, demonstrating a deep understanding of democratic and social values in the new working environment. The whole social life of the building revolves around a central circulation tower fostering high levels of casual interaction in a company that shares international knowledge. An almost column free open and light interior makes a delightfully stimulating workplace.’

ICONIC & INNOVATIVE
Statoil is a Norwegian energy producer, the 57th largest company in the world by revenue, with about 30 000 employees in 37 countries. 2500 of these now work in this unique office building, with a spectacular view over adjacent park areas and the fjord of Oslo.

FROM AIRPORT TO URBAN ENVIRONMENT
The Fornebu area, a previous site for Oslo’s main airport, is undergoing a radical transformation into an urban area, with commercial and residential buildings and public recreation areas. A key challenge of the design was to balance size and architectural expression with its surroundings, whilst at the same time introducing new impulses that enliven the park and commercial area. More specifically: how does one design a 65.000 m2 commercial building complex to make it blend with the idyllic shoreline of Fornebu? A large part of the site has been transformed into a publicly accessible park and promenade along the fjord.

MODULAR CONSTRUCTION
Each lamella is 3 stories high, 140 meters long and 23 meters wide. The modules are oriented differently to optimize internal daylight conditions and views towards the fjord landscape. Inside, the modules create a communal atrium, with an “urban plaza” connecting many of the social functions on the ground floor. The design is rooted in the democratic principle of bestowing all users of the building with excellent working conditions that include stunning views and good light conditions.

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Materials provided by a-lab