Oslo
Norway
An illuminated platform at Ekeberg provides a spectacular vantage point over the city lights of Oslo and forested hills beyond. A visitor takes in the scenery at dusk next to “Chloé”, a large-scale sculptural head by artist Jaume Plensa of a young girl with closed eyes. The viewpoint is adjacent to Ekeberg restaurant, with pathways leading through Ekeberg Sculpture Park.
Oslo
Outline of Oslo and the district boundaries – These web pages are organized by the fifteen bydels, translated to “districts” in these pages and, more literally, a part (del) of the city (by). Each district is represented by a different colour.
Oslo beholds intriguing dualities; it is a world centre with the intimacy of a smaller city. Located in the innermost part of the Oslofjord, the city sits in a gently hilly landscape, sloping toward the waterfront. Oslo is considered a global city, identified as a node in a global network influencing politics, culture, finance, and trade worldwide. Oslo is Norway's capital and largest city, yet it is fondly qualified as a "small, big city" for its human scale, well-defined neighbourhood centres, green parks and byways, and robust mobility connections across the city.
The Norwegian capital regularly tops polls, indices, and lists for quality of life, life expectancy, and health measures; here, the citizens savour the good life over extended lifespans. Thus, Oslo is an ideal city to study urban conditions and the forces shaping its (re)development to try and better understand how shaping the built environment subsequently shapes our humanity.
Oslo also tops the list of Europe's fastest-growing cities. Colossal construction cranes across the skyline attest to the widespread extensive transformations throughout the city. Although Oslo has garnered acclaim in recent years for its iconic and spectacular architecture punctuating the cityscape, the urban character is not primarily defined by its architectural wonders but more often by the city-life in harmony with the enveloping awe-inspiring natural landscapes.
Oslo, old yet young, is an accretion of enduring developments over a millennium and a paragon of modern urban planning. Oslo is a remarkable palimpsest, reflecting diverse layers of history. New developments are transforming old neighbourhoods, and (re)development often takes place in the context of constructive public debate championing a pluralism of preservation and progress.
Perhaps surprisingly, the intense rate of recent developments, increased population, and the resulting density of housing and commercial building activity within a fixed growth boundary have expanded the amount of greenspace, connections to nature, pedestrian mobility options, and public spaces. In fact, Oslo is pursuing some of the most ambitious sustainability goals in the world, conterminously with its rapid growth. This burgeoning development wave is guided by city policies, strategies, and practices designed to elevate the city's urban structure for the greater well-being of its inhabitants.