The project maps and explores different housing options, referred to as the 'third sector'. These are forms of housing that exist alongside private and municipal or public housing, and include, for example, cooperative housing, which has a long tradition in both the Czech Republic and Norway, but also other forms of affordable and stable housing for different groups of inhabitants carried out by non-profit organizations, social enterprises or community housing projects.
During the excursion, the participants saw concrete examples of third sector projects, which included both new buildings and renovated ones, all based on the common ideal of affordable and sustainable housing.
"I particularly liked Bjørvika," says Adam Felix. "Probably because in Prague, we also have several examples of industrial sites being converted into urban neighborhoods. And Bjørvika is a great example of what such a transformation can look like. This former port and industrial site has been transformed into a vibrant urban neighborhood. Today, it is a place where culture, commerce and housing intersect. Very inspiring."
The program included a tour of the Oslo Opera and Ballet building. "This project is very similar to the new philharmonic hall designed by the Danish BIG Studio and planned and financed by the City of Prague. The Oslo Opera and Ballet building also came out of an international architectural competition, won by the Norwegian architectural studio Snohetta." Tomáš Homola adds.
The excursion to Oslo was a follow-up to a previous trip to Zurich, Switzerland, in November 2021. In Switzerland, the emphasis was on cooperative housing, which has an over century-long tradition in the country and has also retained its true character as middle-class rental housing.
"Swiss cooperative housing more closely resembles the cooperative housing established in Czechoslovakia during the First Republic. In contrast, contemporary Norwegian cooperative housing is indeed more similar (economically and in legal terms) to contemporary Czech cooperative housing, where the goal is to eventually own an apartment.” Tomáš Homola summarizes the findings from both countries.
The projects visited in Oslo demonstrated how cities and municipalities can support the construction and development of this type of housing, which combines environmental friendliness with affordability for a wider range of people.
The experts in Oslo also discussed cooperation between investors and municipal administrations and the necessary changes in legislation to allow for a wider application of initiatives and ideas for innovative housing projects. It turned out that the Norwegian experience is similar to the Czech one, namely when it comes to cooperative housing legislation, and therefore conversations between these two countries may inspire development of new strategies in the housing sector.
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The excursion was organized by the Centre for Central European Architecture in cooperation with Fragment, a project of premium rental housing in Prague's Karlín district. The visit to Oslo took place as part of the Urban Housing of the Future project, through which an interdisciplinary team of experts - architects, lawyers, sociologists, politicians and economists – searches for ways to expand affordable housing in urban areas. In this context, third sector housing, which includes cooperative and non-profit projects, is a key tool for providing affordable, sustainable and quality housing urgently needed in both the Czech Republic and Norway.