Oslo's new housing areas, for example Løren or Ensjø, have been subject to extensive criticism. The image of the lonely person moving through a colourless cityscape of asphalt surrounded by unwelcoming buildings has become illustrative of development projects seemingly uninterested in the people who will be inhabiting such neighbourhoods.

Why do we end up with these kind of solutions, and how do we avoid them?

According to Anja K. Standal from The Norwegian University of Life Sciences, the transition from building to street is not discussed and analyzed enough in the Norwegian urbanism. She suggests a greater concern with what she coins as "facade threshold" that can help prevent such projects.

Standal will draw on her PHD when introducing the BOBY meeting, after which there will be a panel debate with representatives from the planning authorities, architect/landscape architect and housing developers.

Introducers:
Anja Standal - NMBU (The Norwegian University of Life Sciences)
Tanja Lie - The Council of City Architecture
SLA - Landscape Architects
The planning unit in Oslo's Agency for Planning and Building Services