The Impact of Growth on Urban Form in the Oslo Region

This thesis investigates what the implications of growth are on the urban form in the Greater Oslo Region. It shows that significant strides are in the making to ensure a denser, public transit oriented development that preserves natural assets and facilitates for more town development at designated transportation nodes in the region. However, at this time execution does not follow intention. The Regional Plan remains a strategy not a legislative document, the investment into the public transit is not yet aligned with the new Plan and too much rule remains in the hands of the municipalities to foresee the successful implementation of a denser more efficient and sustainable urban form in the region around Norway’s capitol. For example, the region continues to see mostly single family home developments, new shopping centers, and an inadequate alternative transportation development — despite the level of awareness amongst most that change is necessary to become a more sustainable region. Further, this thesis investigates the Fornebu development project as a high-profile project within the Greater Oslo Region, asking whether its development model is a good model for the region to develop by. The answer is complex with cons and pros, but in general this thesis argues that Fornebu does not live up to the role of being a pilot project for the region. Even at its proposed new form Fornebu is not ambitious enough in its sustainability, social, and urban form to be a viable pilot