Designing Ølen’s new community building
Winning an architecture competition, Omega Areal gets to design the new community building in Ølen. They have designed a characteristic venue that will illuminate the center of Ølen.
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"With transparent walls, glass facades and modern aspects for children, youth and adults, this new building will capture the light and embrace the citizens," says architect Gaute Aas.
He has designed the new building together with architect, Anne-Britt Toner, and engineer architect, Susanne Kyvik, at Omega Areal’s department at Stord. The project called, ”Capturing the light”, was newly awarded the first place in an architecture competition put on by the biggest actors that are building the new community house; Vindafjord county, Vindafjord Arbeidsgiverforum, and Ølen’s cultural division. All actors unanimously agreed to go with this suggestion.
Light in the darkness
Omega Areal
- Engineering and architecture company established in 2004 as a part of the Omega group
- Delivers services within a broad spectrum of technical construction and architecture for both private and public sectors in Sunnhordaland and on Haugalandet
- Headquarters located in Ølensvåg, with department offices at Stord, Husnes, and Frakkagjerd
- Has today more than 30 employees
- Read more about our projects at areal.omega.no
The new cultural center will be built into the already existing community building in Ølen. With over 1500 square meters and two stories, it will include a media room, a youth club, classrooms, a cafe, and arenas to facilitate concerts and exhibitions. The building will begin in 2015.
"Our goal has been to use the light as an architectural element, and we have developed the building to utilize day, evening and night light to accommodate activities during most of the day and night. A community building like this should encourage activities and gatherings also after work hours," says Aas.
With large windows and open transparent rooms, this community building should seem both inviting and including. And every citizen in the county should feel welcome. In the weekends, parts of the building can stay open, and the spaces designed for mingling can be a new gathering point in Ølen, Aas points out.
"Everyone wants to be seen and heard, and that has been a guiding idea for us. Our goal is that the building can be used for a multitude of activities for all age groups, and result in openness in the community. A building like this takes up a lot of space, and good architecture should give something meaningful back to the citizens. The community building will ”build the community”, says Aas.
A milestone
As the first community building signed by Omega Areal, this project is considered nothing less than a milestone for the engineering and architecture company.
"We have decided to go with something stylistically pure that at the same time blends naturally with the landscape of hills and the ocean. Through this project we have set ourselves a part from the traditional, and are showcasing that we are well qualified for these kinds of building designs and assignments," says Aas.