The contrasting qualities of a town cut in two can be seen as a positive asset. The two halves are in many ways very different and even opposing in character, and their potential for development is also apart. You could say that this duality is precisely what consists the very identity of Mo i Rana. Accordingly each area should be developed so as to retain and develop the quality that makes it different from the other half, and at the same time establish connections between the two. This is the main concept of our proposal in which we seek to create a dialogue between two very different areas: The big open natural landscape on the seafront and the dense man-built industrial environment on the urban side of the railway line. This duality will provide a wide and exciting range of urban and natural experiences in interplay:
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Studio Gohde. Published on January 30, 2014.
THE SEAFRONT We propose the image of a dual chambered heart a fitting picture of the two halves of Mo i Rana. They share the same bloodstream and depend on each other. They have different purposes and accordingly are “designed” differently, yet interact and function as a whole. Together they provide the beating pulse that is the life of Mo i Rana.
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© Arkitektgruppen Cubus AS . Published on January 30, 2014.
IDENTITY Mo i Rana’s economy has rested mainly on the industrial processing of steel and concrete. These industries have been of major importance for the growth and identity of the region as a whole, and has had a dominating influence on the built seafront, since this is where the factories lie. The image of a powerful industrial community is central to the identity of the town as a whole.
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© Arkitektgruppen Cubus AS . Published on January 30, 2014.
A NEW JOINT EFFORT Rather than impose a design strategy and products from elsewhere, would like to utilize the material, design and production knowledge of the local industry in our project for the seafront park and promenade. Our proposal involves the design of a series of large scale spatial modules that is used to transform the local terrain and microclimate at a given spot to provide places for shelter, sitting, reclining, access, connection between levels, play and sport, as well as evoke curiosity. By allowing local knowledge and technology to be a design parameter, the project will be deeply rooted in the local identity and an expression of the pride and capability of the local community. It will also allow for innovation in the local industry by establishing a new production line for use in the seafront project. It is our aim that the use of traditional technology and innovative design will strengthen the sense of identity and pride in the project and perhaps inspire a new wave of regeneration for both the industry and the town.
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Studio Gohde. Published on January 30, 2014.
GRADUAL DEVELOPMENT OF PROJECT Our advice is not to aim to develop the whole promenade at once, but rather to concentrate the efforts to a few strategic spots where a new activity program can create a transformative dynamo and a sense of change The skating arena would be a good place to start, since the area has a good location between housing areas, the town and the seafront, and entails a programme that is dynamic and rejuvenating. The design of the new spatial modules should involve local industry, schools, designers and landscape architects, and should be thought of as a continuous local design and innovation process that develop over time rather than as a finalized series of products. One can imagine the design and realization of one module annually, either chosen by the work group or as a result of a local competition, and each project adapted both to the chosen spot and to the desired programme. In this way the seafront will become an arena of cooperative creativity and renewal, and every walk along the seafront spur new ideas and projects. In time the seafront will be a monument not just to good local design but also to the close knit industrious community that created it.
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Studio Gohde. Published on January 30, 2014.
MAIN DESIGN CONCEPT Locally produced spatial modules developed in a local think tanks and based on local materials and production skills.
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© Arkitektgruppen Cubus AS . Published on January 30, 2014.
CONCEPT FOR SEAFRONT PARK Maintain the identity of the area but infuse it with a new pulse by the careful placing of recognizable yet innovative and locally produced spatial elements on strategic places. Over time the transformed hotspots will form a continuum that offers a wide range of variation for leisure , play and inspiration.
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© Arkitektgruppen Cubus AS . Published on January 30, 2014.
SEAFRONT PROMENADE The basic DNA the seafront promenade consists of 3 main types of spatial modules. These are developed to cater for a wide range of terrain and programmatic situations, and can be positioned in a variety of ways either individually or as a group or sequence. They will be produced using local technology and will be instantly recognizable as such. This will create a varied rhythm of events all along the seafront, sometimes places to stay, sometimes places to play, a malleable and playful structure with soft zoning for a range of characteristics and activities.
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© Arkitektgruppen Cubus AS . Published on January 30, 2014.