Office for Contemporary Art

As architects, our goal was to reveal the space where a discourse on art could be generated rather than represented. After years of exploitation, the space is again visible, the materials accentuated, and one new element is introduced, a large stair of massive wooden planks (Douglas fir). The stair acts as an auditorium and makes the transition between the OCA offices and the project space. The stair organizes the space in 3 zones, providing a room in the room for lectures and screenings, a reading room and Library of Norwegian Artist as well as the surrounding exhibition space.

The project includes offices for the OCA administration, artist studios for OCA’s residence program and a 450m2 project space.

In 2012 the refurbishment of the former industrial buildings, designed for the textile firm Indigo by architects Ove Ekman and Einar Smith and erected from 1896 to 1899, was completed. This area along the Akerselva was historically referred to as Ny York due to its explosive development in 1858. Like its sister city, today the area reflects a similar transformation towards a district focused on art, architecture and design, including DogA, AHO, KHiO, and Dansens Hus and now OCA. In collaboration with our client Lars Hellebust, the buildings of historical value were transformed into a new cultural area.

The project has been developed in a close collaboration with the local heritage authorities to maintain the buildings’ and area’s characteristics. The transformation was rewarded with Oslo City’s Architecture Prize in 2012.