This studio is developed in relation to the forthcoming Oslo Architecture Triennial (OAT) due to take place in the fall of 2016. The main assignment will be to identify an urban setting and the public potential of an existing structure/infrastructure adaptable for the programming and design of a space ‘After Belonging’. The space will host discussions and debates, as well as other activities, yet to be defined, during the course of the Triennial.

In 2016, the OAT will explore the question of “After Belonging” through A Triennale In Residence, On Residence and the Ways We Stay in Transit. As explained in OAT2016’s curators initial statement: ‘facing realities such as global migration, increased circulation of objects and information, and precarious conditions of transit, architects and designers need to develop new and alternative strategies for planning and shaping residential spaces – temporary and permanent homes – of tomorrow’s cities.’ The studio will explore the theme of “After Belonging” with a particular focus on the Nordic Region and especially in Oslo.
BI-/TRIENNIALISM; In parallel to the local research and design work, the studio will investigate the global phenomenon itself; the evolution of the radically expanding Biennial and Triennial culture in architecture and art, and its implication for the host cities in terms of proactive branding strategies, urban identity, local impact and its after effects.

Multifaceted, the studio will engage 3 phases developing a research-based design, as group assignments and individual projects.
A final phase of implementation will remain open pending on budget and legal requirements. One spatial concept will be selected by jury, developed and implemented 1:1, on site or if needed, transferred to alternative location.

Phase 1_ Explore the concept of “After Belonging” and its implication for contemporary architecture and on the scale of the city.
Phase 2_ Identify potential empty spaces in the city of Oslo, relevant for the implementation of the “After Belonging” program.
Phase 3_ Recycling space; design the transformation of an existing structure/infrastructure into a space “After Belonging”, to be used during the OAT 2016.
Phase 4_Implementing the chosen design strategy for the OAT2016

A field trip is planned to New York city, combined with a workshop in Havana, Cuba; host city of the Havana Art Biennial 2015. The workshop will explore related strategies of adaptive reuse by Havana Re-Generation. This trip will serve to explore a series of transformed spaces and structures and to meet with the curators of the OAT2016.