The studio will map, analyze, and project potential bio industry resources in the peri-urban areas of Oslo. Given the spatial and climatic constraints, how much and what type of food cropping can the peri-urban areas support? This capacity calculation could help clarify the best strategies for utilizing the remaining agricultural lands adjacent to the urban areas. With rising urbanization pressures, a planning strategy will need to be in place to utilize productive lands or consider more technologically intensive methods of cultivation such as indoor growing facilities. The spatial and infrastructural requirements of these facilities (either traditional or indoor facilities) will need to be metricized and matched to the future capacities of an urbanizing region to formulate a new, knowledge-based planning approach.

Collectively mapping the potential sources of bio-wastes in the peri-urban areas could reveal a new energy resource. Breweries, landscape wastes, food processing waste, wastewater, and other organic forms of industrial wastes could accumulate to a significant tonnage. The project will estimate these tonnage amounts and consider their potential to fuel either existing energy needs (industrial or residential), as well as the future urbanization-induced needs. With a population increase, the urban areas will have to develop similar increase in energy needs. This studio will help locate organic wastes that could accommodate some of the urbanization-based energy consumption increase. Mapping these under-utilized resources will significantly enhance a knowledge-based plan for the region.