Bybrikken

1,350 new residences, a cinema, a hotel, and 70,000 square meters of commercial space will form the core as a new neighborhood takes shape on the site of the old Fredrikstad Mekaniske Verksted. Hille Melbye, together with developers Jotne Eiendom and Selvaag Bolig, will contribute to the development of a vibrant and diverse neighborhood with a range of housing options and new amenities for the city’s residents. This area represents the prime location within the development, including a new hotel at the innermost part of the dock, a cinema complex in a transformed welding hall, and the first phase of residential buildings extending from it.

In addition to the expansive urban and landscape spaces, the main block invites passersby to explore a series of shortcuts through the dispersed block structure. The pedestrian experience through the residential phase features varied heights, intimate passageways and spaces, as well as generous courtyards. The approach has been to treat the entire ground floor as a single, inviting urban space.

Spacemaker has been used as an optimization and collaboration tool with both the client and architects on neighboring sites. As a result, the footprint, heights, and spaces between buildings have been optimized to respond to the site’s unique characteristics, including views of Hølen and Vesterelva, as well as wind and sun conditions.