New Aker Hospital

The development of a new major local hospital at Aker is a key component in the long-term vision for Oslo University Hospital. The new Aker Hospital will serve a significant portion of Oslo’s population with somatic healthcare services, and will also house mental health care for both adults and children, as well as interdisciplinary specialized substance abuse treatment for the entire population of Oslo.

Client

South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority HF

Location

Oslo

Status

Ongoing

Period

2020 – 2031

Area

169.000m2, Reconstruction: 22.000m2

Function

University hospital, local hospital

Framework Conditions

Nye Aker will be developed in two phases, with the majority of construction taking place in the first phase. Once both phases are completed, it will become Norway’s largest local hospital, totaling 206,800 m², including renovation work. The site covers 18.6 hectares and is located high above the city, offering views in multiple directions. New and existing buildings will be well integrated with each other and with the landscape, creating a cohesive and future-oriented hospital environment.

Architecture

The master plan is based on the “View” concept from the 2019 sketch project, developed by Nordic Office of Architecture, AART Architects, Bjørbekk & Lindheim, COWI, Norconsult, and Metier OEC.

Two main axes – the Sinsen Axis and the Akerløperen Axis – converge at an access plaza, organizing the site both visually and functionally.

The urban structure separates buildings for somatic care, mental health, and technical/supply functions, creating a legible, accessible, and welcoming situation.

Façades facing the public spaces are three to four stories high, while the high-rise buildings are set back. Smaller buildings are located at the edges of the site within a park, combining new construction with rehabilitated older buildings.

The existing heritage-listed buildings contribute to architectural diversity and a human scale, and serve as guiding references for the choice of facade materials in much of the new construction.

Function

The somatic care building is centrally located and consists of a base and a high-rise. The base houses operating theaters, intensive care, diagnostic imaging, outpatient clinics, and an emergency department. The high-rise contains patient wards and offices.

Nye Aker will also serve as a university hospital with modern teaching facilities.

South of the main building is the PHA (Mental Health and Addiction) complex, comprising both new and existing buildings. In total, nine existing buildings will be renovated, seven of which are heritage-listed and protected.

Implementation

The design team, “Team Nye Aker,” was engaged in 2020 based on the 2019 sketch project. Construction takes place within a large and complex site, where consideration for ongoing operations, neighbors, and patients is critical. Careful planning is carried out to manage noise, traffic, access, deliveries, and temporary construction facilities. Clear communication with all stakeholders is a top priority.

Environment

The project follows environmental targets set by Helse Sør-Øst and the “Green Hospital” program. The somatic care building and PHA North and South will be BREEAM-certified at the “Very Good” level. Protected buildings will have customized environmental plans to meet requirements.

Open BIM is used throughout the design process, with shared models and standardized routines for updates and visualization, ensuring that all disciplines works with continuously updated information.

Contact person

Randi Mandt

Sivilarkitekt MNAL, Partner

+47 97 79 14 03

randi.mandt@ratioark.no

Collaboration partners

Sweco

Arkitema

Multiconsult

Bygganalyse

Phases

Revised draft project

Preliminary project

Contribution to areaplanning

Detail project to completion

01 03 Somatikkbygget Hovedinngang fra øst — 1/2 Access square and main entrance somatic building

00 02 Nye Aker Oversiktperspektiv fra sørøst mer avstand Karusell — 2/2 Bird's eye view with Torshovdalen on the right and Bjerkebanen on the left

00 01 Nye Aker Oversiktperspektiv fra sørvest Karusell — Access square and main entrance somatic building, seen from the south

01 08 Somatikkbygget vestibyle Akertorget — Akertorget, main entrance to the somatic building

The somatic building

The somatic building is centrally located in the area, and the building mass is oriented along Akerløperen to the east and Sinsenaksen to the south. The building consists of a base and a high-rise building.

01 04 Somatikkbygget Akerløperen og Studenttorget fra nord — Akerløperen and Studenttorget

01 06 Somatikkbygget fra vest i Sinsenaksen — Sinsenaksen towards east, somatic building and PHA towards south

01 07 Somatikkbygget inngang Sinsenaksen — Main entrance polyclinic in Sinsenaksen

The base

The base accommodates functions such as surgery, intensive imaging, laboratory medicine, sterile centre, pharmacy production, polyclinic and day care, high-security isolates and emergency department. Nye Aker will become a university hospital and teaching areas with seminar rooms and high-quality auditoriums of different sizes and functions will be integrated into the base.

01 11 Somatikkbygget Campustorget — The campus square in the somatics building

01 12 Somatikkbygget akuttmottak ambulanseinngang interiør — Ambulance entrance with emergency department

01 15 Somatikkbygget akuttmottak pauserom — Staff room in the emergency department

The high house

In the high-rise building are functions such as 24-hour areas and offices

01 02 Somatikkbygget Hovedinngang fra sørøst — Entrance square and somatic building

01 10 Somatikkbygget Heisvestibyle i døgnområde — Lift foyer

02 1 01 PHA sør hovedinngang fra nord — Main entrance, PHA south

PHA
The building for psychiatric health care and addiction is divided into three plots south and east of the access square; PHA south, PHA middle and PHA north. The new development for PHA in the south is bounded by Sinsenaksen and the access square in the north, Akerløperen in the east and Trondheimsveien in the west.

Between PHA south and PHA north is Sinsenveien 76, which is an existing building complex from 1941. The complex is supplemented with two new buildings which are connected to the existing ones, and which together make up the development called PHA middle.

02 2 07 PHA midt bygg B3 fra øst fra avstand — New building, PHA middle

02 1 05 PHA sør fasade sør og uteområde 01 — The surrounding landscape, PHA south

02 1 06 PHA sør takterrasse og utsikt mot sør — Roof terrace with a view of central Oslo, PHA south

FASADER Sinsenaksen og Akerløperen 220914 — Facade Akerløperen west

02 1 09 PHA sør interiør trapp — Reception and staircase, PHA south

02 2 03 PHA midt fra sør — Entrance to common areas, PHA middle

02 2 05 PHA midt bygg B1 gymsal interiør — Gym in B1, PHA middle

02 3 01 PHA nord fra sørvest og hovedinngang — Main entrance PHA north

Reconstruction

Parts of the program area for Nye Aker are placed in existing buildings that are to be rehabilitated and rebuilt. In total, nine existing buildings are included in the redevelopment project, of which seven are protected or listed. These buildings represent important hospital history at Aker. They contribute to a varied building environment and differentiated scale in the new hospital area, and the buildings' historic qualities are leading for new construction and will be alive at Nye Aker.