It’s not just the buildings we live in that affect our well-being – the overall environment and the qualities a city or place can offer have a significant impact on the quality of life for all its residents. Good meeting places, green mobility, and a healthy local environment are some of the key concepts for Nordic’s urbanism department.

“We have a research-based approach,” says Diana Cruz, Head of Urbanism at Nordic. “The focus is on sustainable development,” she continues. “It’s not just a buzzword; it requires knowledge and understanding of both a place and a broader context. Additionally, we believe that a successful project can only be achieved by establishing close collaboration with the client. We always take the time to understand the client’s needs and balance these with the needs of the area as a whole. Participation is central to achieving broad acceptance of the proposals necessary to ensure successful implementation.”

Over the past year, Nordic has heavily invested in urbanism projects, and this investment has yielded results. The first phase of the development of Oslo Airport City, a whole new district located by Oslo Airport, has been approved. Hellerudsletta Innovation and Business Park, and the Romerrike Health House master plan are both in ongoing planning processes, in addition to the transformation of Laksevåg Shipyard into a new district in Bergen, which is steadily progressing.

In the past year, Nordic has also delivered three exciting and ambitious visions for the future of Bodø, Steinkjer, and Ulsteinvik, each with its own main focus. For Bodø, sustainability was the main point; in Steinkjer, the focus was on green mobility; and for Ulsteinvik, the social aspect, with strategies for increased interaction between generations, was the most important. Along with the Bragernes project in Drammen, where Nordic delivered a set of strategies for the transformation of the old hospital area, these projects have also opened doors for two new projects in Arendal and Sarpsborg, with more in the pipeline!

Each project has its unique opportunities and challenges, but the method behind them is the same. It begins with questioning what is missing in the current situation. “What motivates and engages me most about urbanism projects is that it’s about more than designing individual objects. You really have to delve deep, investigate, and analyze the situation and the place to find the path to sustainable and healthy development. The goal is always to create opportunities for interaction and to create flexible communities with a good and varied mix of functions that can support positive future development and growth.”

“Our process is entirely dependent on a multidisciplinary model. We bring in specialists in economics, social sciences, and design. The analyses conducted on the geographical, economic, and social conditions form the basis for all further work,” says Cruz. “In several of our assignments, we connect with strong research environments - academic institutions or authorities in their fields who can contribute valuable knowledge. It is in the collaboration between multiple disciplines that the really big challenges can be solved. As in society at large, the best solutions emerge when people with different knowledge, backgrounds, and skills come together to solve things,” she concludes.