Bergen City Arena

Our proposal for a new city arena in the Nygårdstangen city district of Bergen is part of a transformation to the area into a vibrant and sustainable urban environment with a focus on public space and a sense of community.

In the first phase, we designed a 22.100 m² multifunctional city arena for international sports events and concerts with seating for 8,000 and standing room for 12,000, and a conference hotel. The arena was designed to be welcoming and engaging all year round, with a primary focus on flexibility for the best experiences for a wide range of sports events and concerts.

The building features a cascading series of green outdoor terraces that can be used for various purposes, combined with transparent facades for a visual connection to the surrounding urban area. The arena’s rooftop, which we named "the plateau," is designed as a park, accessible from the hotel's skybar, with outdoor seating, walking paths and the city’s most spectacular views!

The hotel’s compact volume comprises 342 rooms, conference facilities, restaurants and operational areas. There are multiple internal and external connections between the arena and hotel for generous urban spaces and maximum flexibility of the facility.

The second phase of the competition, we developed a masterplan with various public spaces, 800 residential units, commercial areas, a public transport terminal and infrastructure solutions optimized for bicycles, pedestrians and public transportation while reducing the capacity for parking and restricting car access in the new public domains. The area, which has been dominated by road infrastructure and traffic, is envisioned as an extension of the city center with a series of new plazas and attractive outdoor spaces for year-round activities.

content & image source: Nordic Office of Architecture