Åsane is Bergen’s largest district, 10 minutes drive from the city centre, and contains mainly small-scale residential areas and large scale shopping areas. The motorway, zone planning and large, easily accessible plots and has resulted into a car-based shopping area of regional importance at its centre, with large scale «big box» retail such as IKEA. A revitalization of Åsane central parts should play on the dual local-regional identity. The overall municipal strategy is to develop the city´s districts into multifunctional nodes. Located in a valley, among forested hills, Åsane has considerable nature and recreational qualities.
New urban structure and initial projects must show options for potential development according to two steps; dealing with the existing situation and future situation without the main road. Nature should be an important part of public spaces. The new, urban structure for the study area should provide social infrastructure and good public spaces, dense, differentiated programming and building scales.
Cultural and social activities, kindergarten, centre for elderly people and health services could be organized in one or several buildings. Development should be carried out in two steps, and establishing a connection across the motorway is part of the first step. Proposals have to be illustrated as a refreshing and credible vision. Large, private investors are ready to play an active part in the development.