The main focus is to transform an existing city square into an innovative, sustainable public space and adding new mixed use buildings. The operation is part of the City's strategy to extend the city centre and give it a new dynamic in order to prevent sprawl.
An expanding multicultural population within the natural city borders ask for new answers in order to prevent city sprawl.
The town of Lillestrøm, is located 20 km. East of Oslo (capital) in southern Norway as part of the larger city conurbation. How can new ideas for public spaces and structures create an identity for Lillestrøm as a sustainable and competitive knowledge based town? How can a concept for shaping new building mass open up for a new dialogue between public space and buildings, which intensify the qualities of urban living? The municipality of Skedsmo is asking for innovative ideas, methods and concepts for dealing with Stortorvet as a main public space in the town of Lillestrøm. How can the design deal with the Nordic climate, for instance the challenging sun and light situations, and the changing use of public space throughout the seasons? How can the new public space reflect Lillestrøms ambitions as the centre for knowledge based businesses dealing with renewable energy in the Oslo region.
The Europan competition could play a key role in this discussion, demanding intelligence from later projects to come.