True Blue takes gold in 2021 WAN Awards

In 2020, White Arkitekter won the competition to design the new waterfront park and new Lungegårdspark in Bergen, Norway. The proposal called True Blue is based on water, which is the most tangible element in Bergen with its estuaries, fjords, and ocean as well as from the sky. It will be the city’s new public lounge with a wide range of activities and recreation areas, while providing innovative solutions for environmental and climate adaptation. 

The jury's motivation was: "This winner creates a cohesive and compelling space that balances areas for recreation with areas for ecological restauration, resulting in a unique compelling progressive approach to a leisure project".  

– We are very grateful for this award! True Blue is a multifunctional design combining leisure, sports, and ecological restoration. It showcases our Nordic heritage of being part of nature and celebrating water. We are delighted the jury made this brave choice!, said Niels de Bruin, Lead Landscape Architect at White Arkitekter.

The premise of the project is “life in water – life on land” and the overarching concept of the park is about improving the water quality in the bay. True Blue contains natural systems to purify the water that runs into the bay, as well as sub surface additions to stimulate the marine ecology. These systems are carefully designed to be both functional, attractive and a source of learning for visitors. The exciting architectural approach creates a park which is both beautiful and sustainable.

The waterfront park stretches over one kilometres and three bays are created with the help of existing creeks. Each bay is programmed differently and establish themselves in a gradient based on how the urban and natural components are experiences. An important aspect is to create something that is both socially and ecologically sustainable over a long period of time. This park will be designed to withstand at least a hundred years. 

För mer information:
Maria Gertell, Head of Public Relations, White Arkitekter
+46 70 588 65 00
maria.gertell@white.se

Founded by Sidney White in 1951, White Arkitekter is Scandinavia’s leading architectural practice. We work with sustainable architecture, urban design, landscape, and interiors to create lasting value for current and future generations. We are an employee-owned collective of about 700 employees with a presence in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, UK, Germany, Canada, and East Africa. As architects, we have a responsibility to take action against climate change and by 2030, we aim for all our projects will be climate neutral. To that end, we have strengthened research and design skills that focus on timber technologies. Our Roadmap 2030 sets out White’s direction for how it will contribute to the transition required in society to achieve national and international climate goals, as well as our own. From relocating the Arctic city of Kiruna two miles east, to empowering women at Panzi Hospital, we put people, planet, and local economies at the forefront of design.

Connect with us to learn more: www.whitearkitekter.com or @whitearkitekter on social media.