Facts and history

Upon completion, the new Bjørvika district will provide 5000 new homes and 20 000 new places of work.
FACTS
Bjørvika covers a total of 820 000 m2. 40% of this will be turned into parks, commons (known as «allmenning» in Norwegian) and a seafront promenade. Approximately 30% of the area to be developed had been completed by the end of 2015.

• Regulated area: 650.000 m2
• A total of 825.000m² surface with apartments, business, shopping and culture will be developed
• Offices for over 20.000 employees
• 5000 apartments
• 7 commons, 2 beaches and parks
• 2,8 km water promenade
• National road structure finished in 2015. Tunnel opened in 2010.


Flyfoto august 2015, © Oslo S Utvikling

Bjørvika has always represented, and continues to represent, an important part of Oslo’s history.

The name ‘Bjørvika’ is derived from Norse, meaning ‘the city bay’, as the area is located where the Alna River meets the Fjord. In the late 11th century, Bjørvika was busy with trade and became the seat of the bishop, and by the late 13th century, the area had grown to around three thousand inhabitants. Sadly, plague struck in 1350, halving the population and sending to area into recession, and fires destroyed major parts of the city.

In the early 17th century, with the protection of Akershus Fortress, a new city was established west of Bjørvika, and Bjørvika served as the city’s harbor. Bjørvika started to grow notably in the twentieth century, with industrialization concentrated along the river Akerselva. The population trebled, and Oslo grew into a dominant economic city with Bjørvika as the country’s most important seaport.

Unfortunately over time, as the centre of Oslo developed, Bjørvika became a segregated port area, a shipyard and a storage area. In the early 80s, the municipality started to develop a vision: ‘Oslo as a fjord city’. The regulation plan for Bjørvika was approved in 2003, and today, 20% of Bjørvika has been developed, with more exciting development yet to come.

– See more at: http://slowspace.no/bjorvika/history-of-bjorvika/#sthash.f1J881UI.dpuf

HISTORY

Bjørvika has always represented, and continues to represent, an important part of Oslo’s history.

The name ‘Bjørvika’ is derived from Norse, meaning ‘the city bay’ (gammelnorsk Bœjarvík, «Byvika»), as the area is located where Akerselva river and Alna River meets the Fjord. In the late 11th century, Bjørvika was busy with trade and became the seat of the bishop, and by the late 13th century, the area had grown to around three thousand inhabitants. Sadly, plague struck in 1350, halving the population and sending to area into recession, and fires destroyed major parts of the city.

In the early 17th century, with the protection of Akershus Fortress, a new city was established west of Bjørvika, and Bjørvika served as the city’s harbor. Bjørvika started to grow notably in the twentieth century, with industrialization concentrated along the river. The population trebled, and Oslo grew into a dominant economic city with Bjørvika as the country’s most important seaport.

Unfortunately over time, as the centre of Oslo developed, Bjørvika became a segregated port area, a shipyard and a storage area. In the early 80s, the municipality started to develop a vision: ‘Oslo as a fjord city’. The regulation plan for Bjørvika was approved in 2003, and today, 30% of Bjørvika has been developed, with more exciting development yet to come.


View from Ekeberg towards Bjørvika in 1887. Foto: Axel Lindahl, © Nasjonalbiblioteket.