Kvartal 42
Kristiansand, Norway
A mixed use project situated in the heart of Kristiansand city-centre. KJ-A’s bold and distinctive proposal won 1st prize in an invited competition held by Morgenstjernen and Filadelfia, and features an unorthodox and visionary blend of functions ranging from housing to retail, from hotel to shared communal facilities.
Occupying the entirety of its urban quarter plot, the six-storey building is rectangular in form and seeks to reinterpret the classical urban grid pattern through a single, three-storey ‘eroded’ opening in its south east corner. Both sculptural and playful, this opening is placed in direct response to the adjacent historic town centre and Filadelfia church & conference centre, while also forming a dramatic main entrance inviting visitors and passers-by into the scheme. An additional degree of permeability and openness is afforded by largely glazed facades around the building´s periphery at ground level, from which people of all ages gain access to a wide variety of functions including restaurants and shops, a youth centre, day-care facilities and a conference centre with a capacity of 1400. A large, central courtyard is framed by the building at the heart of the scheme and includes, above street level, a generous rooftop garden facilitating a diverse range of activities for the various users of the building.
The building houses a variety of functions for people of all ages including a conference centre with a capacity of approximately 1400 people, various restaurants and shops, a youth centre, offices, an old age home, a health centre, a daycare as well as hotel rooms and private apartments. At street level the building is transparent and publicly accessble, not to mention a line of sight down into the large auditorium where conferences, concerts and church services are held. Above street level there is a rooftop garden which is enjoyed by the diverse users of the building.
