Oslo Fire station | Gottlieb Paludan Architects

Gottlieb Paludan Architects won the competition for designing Bjørvika’s new fire station.

Oslo’s existing main fire station will be vacated by the end of June 2023. The city, therefore, held a competition for a new fire station in Bjørvika to accommodate the fire and rescue services (’Brann- og redningsetaten’ (BRE)).

The fire station will be situated in green surroundings with a clear sculptural design: Three dark, closed blocks in ‘burnt’ wood encircle the vehicle hall, supporting an open and light floor of bright wood and glass. The building’s technical and sculptural impression matches the area’s current mix of industrial and container port activities. 

The fire station needs to be technically optimised while providing ideal conditions for staff. The staff floor on the top is laid out around a central roof garden. The floor has a kitchen, living room, sleeping quarters and bathrooms, as well as exercise facilities. All technical and administrative facilities are on floors 1 and 2, and all rooms provide for short, direct and logical moves to the vehicle hall, the natural heart of the building. 

The selection of materials and surfaces aims to contribute positively to staff health, the environment and local surroundings. At night, the warm lighting on the staff floor supports the circadian rhythm of the staff, while linear lighting fixtures bring out the more technical nature of the bottom floors.