Diploma 2013: “Seasons of Voss" by Per Fretheim

Student: Per Fretheim
Tutors: APP Deane Simpson, DAV Eva Kun

Voss is a municipality located one hour away from Bergen in the western part of Norway. Based at extreme sports, skiing, music festivals and other leisure activities, Voss has through the last fifteen years succeeded to become a year-through destination with a strong identity rooted in an unpretentious and playful way of living.

As a response to the touristic demand, large cabin areas are being developed far away from the centre, Vangen, offering accommodation for established families and wealthier user groups.

In combination with the decentralized cabin development, most of the new residential projects are large units placed outside of the centre, leaving the centre itself “untouched” and under-utilised by the locals and the tourists.

This project is an attempt to develop the potential of Vangen, the centre of Voss by strengthening
1. The access to leisure activities from the centre.
2. The access to the centre from the more rural housing areas
3. A densification of smaller apartments and alternative accommodation within the centre allowing for a diversification of demographic groups amongst visitors.
4. The development of lively central public spaces that “collect” and theatricise the overlapping circuits of leisure activity during the various seasons.

The project theme has been investigated in three different scales:
1. An overall diagrammatic strategic proposal for Voss for the further development of transport and infrastrucure, both in favour of the locals and the tourism
2. A masterplan for Vangen, focusing on densification and intensification through apartments, permanent and temporary accommodation and key public spaces. (1:500)
3. A more detailed example showing the interaction between one key public space, new apartments and alternative accommodation. (1:200)

All photos by Per Fretheim