Sustainability in the heart of a Norwegian forest
Bjarke Ingels Group has designed the world’s most sustainable furniture factory for the heart of the Norwegian forest.
Their client, Vestre, is devoted to the clean, carbon-neutral fabrication of urban and social furniture, and therefore The Plus, a 6,501 square-metre factory in Gaustadvegen, Magnor, “aims to be a global destination for sustainable architecture and high-efficiency production.”
The Vestre factory will be in the heart of a Norwegian forest.
The open production facility doubles as a 300-acre public park for hiking and camping, making it a, “landmark aligned with the region’s mission to establish a green manufacturing industry.” It is expected that workers will reap the benefits of working in the middle of a forest.
Four wings covered by green roofs extend from a central atrium, with two being publicly-accessible and flanked by walking tracks, allowing visitors access to the roof and a view of the central atrium from above.
The factory complex aims to be a global destination for sustainable architecture and high-efficiency production.
This radial array of production halls gives the building its plus shape, and a central hub at the centre wraps around a public, circular courtyard where Vestre’s latest outdoor furniture collections are exhibited. The outdoor plaza also doubles as a panopticon for visitors and staff.
Inside the factories, each wing has a ceiling corner lifted to create an inclined roof, providing views both from the outside into the production halls, and from the factory to the outside forest canopies. In the colour and wood factories, these sloping roofs extend to create pathways for visitors and staff to travel along the building and follow the production process inside.
The open production facility doubles as a 300-acre public park for hiking and camping.
Every machine has been given one of Vestre’s 200 colours, giving strong visual cues for those wanting to follow the workflow and production process.
Bjarke Ingels Group believe The Plus will be the first industrial building in the Nordic region to achieve the highest level of environmental certification, BREAM Outstanding.
Every single material has been chosen for its environmental impact; the façade will be made from local timber, low-carbon concrete and recycled reinforcement steel.
Every construction material has been chosen for its low environmental impact.
The Plus has also been designed in accordance with the Paris Agreement, based on the principles of renewable and clean energy, and matching Vestre’s eco-friendly production methods.
It ensures at least 50% less greenhouse gas emissions than comparable factories.
1,200 photovoltaic panels will be angled on the rooftop for optimal solar efficiency, and will power the factory in conjunction with geothermal wells.
The Plus is tipped to be the first industrial building in the Nordic region to achieve the highest level of environmental certification.
Surplus heat created in the production process will be used to heat the building, and overall, this system means that The Plus will have at least 90% lower energy demand than similar conventional factories.
Bjarke Ingels Group have designed the factory to be an example of sustainable architecture, and assert that The Plus, “reinforces Vestre’s vision of combining social and democratic spaces with a future enriched by technology yet grounded in history and nature.”
Watch the video animation below to see a fly through render of the project.
