Office at Kampen Park
In 2016, Resell Architecture was given the opportunity to take over a small space on the corner of a functionalist building at Kampen in Oslo. The building was constructed in 1933 (drawn by architects Borthen & Brantzeg), and is a well preserved example of early twentieth century modernist architecture.
A number of different small businesses have occupied the space over the years (including a dairy shop, a cleaning company and a tobacconist), but it had been left empty for almost ten years when we took over. By transforming it into an inspiring environment for a small group of architects we were hoping that we could breathe life into an important corner on Kampen that had been quiet for the past decade.
Early on we decided upon three aspects that were to be our main focus when working on rebuilding the space:
Resell+NiccaOpenness:
The ground floor level was divided into a lot of small rooms. We wanted to include all of the available volume (except the restroom) in one coherent space.- Resell+Nicca
Customization and Uniqueness:
The limited size of the space required custom-made solutions if we were to achieve our goal of creating a comfortable and well functioning office for four architects. We therefore decided that all of the fixed components introduced by us should be bespoke and designed in order to make them as space efficient as possible. - Resell+Nicca
Existing versus New:
The exterior of the building is characterized by simplicity in terms of materiality and color - plain white walls are contrasted by darker details. We noticed early on that the size of the windows makes the interior an important part of the exterior, and decided that we wanted the inside to coincide with the outside rather than contrast it. We also wanted it to be very clear what was original and what was introduced by us. As a result the strategy for the interior became very simple; existing parts = white and plain, new parts = black and with texture.
The office is located right across the street from a lush park, and from inside one can keep a close eye on how the colors and the character of nature is changing through the seasons. We use the park frequently for coffee breaks, lunches and social events.
