Architecture

Sustainable furniture factory doubles as hiker's holiday camp

Sustainable furniture factory doubles as hiker's holiday camp
The Plus is due for completion sometime in 2021
The Plus is due for completion sometime in 2021
View 8 Images
The Plus is due for completion sometime in 2021
1/8
The Plus is due for completion sometime in 2021
The Plus will be located in the village of Magnor, a forested area in Norway
2/8
The Plus will be located in the village of Magnor, a forested area in Norway
The Plus will measure 6,500 sq m (roughly 70,000 sq ft)
3/8
The Plus will measure 6,500 sq m (roughly 70,000 sq ft)
The central hub of The Plus will feature a circular courtyard filled with trees in which Vestre's latest outdoor furniture collections will be exhibited
4/8
The central hub of The Plus will feature a circular courtyard filled with trees in which Vestre's latest outdoor furniture collections will be exhibited
The interior decor will be very colorful in places, with each of Vestre’s 200 colors represented
5/8
The interior decor will be very colorful in places, with each of Vestre’s 200 colors represented
The Plus will feature four main production areas – a warehouse, color factory, wood factory and assembly point – that connect at the center
6/8
The Plus will feature four main production areas – a warehouse, color factory, wood factory and assembly point – that connect at the center
"The radical transparency invites visitors and hikers to enjoy the whole process of manufacturing while providing the workers the thrill of working in the middle of the forest," says Bjarke Ingels, Founder and Creative Director, BIG
7/8
"The radical transparency invites visitors and hikers to enjoy the whole process of manufacturing while providing the workers the thrill of working in the middle of the forest," says Bjarke Ingels, Founder and Creative Director, BIG
The Plus will double as a hiking and camping destination and will include children's pathways and ramps for disabled access
8/8
The Plus will double as a hiking and camping destination and will include children's pathways and ramps for disabled access
View gallery - 8 images

Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) has a habit of producing outstanding architecture that serves a dual purpose. Its Twist museum is also a bridge, its CopenHill power plant is topped by a ski slope, and now its upcoming furniture factory will double as a hiking and camping destination too. The building will also feature solar power, recycled building materials, and efficient heating and cooling systems.

The project was commissioned by furniture maker Vestre and is named The Plus, presumably due to its plus-shaped design. It will be located in the village of Magnor, a forested area in Norway.

Its interior layout will be arranged around four main production areas – a warehouse, color factory, wood factory and assembly point – all connecting to a central hub with a logistics office and exhibition center. This will feature a tree-filled public courtyard showcasing Vestre's latest furniture. The decor will also be very colorful in places and smart robots and self-driving trucks will be used in the factory too.

The central hub of The Plus will feature a circular courtyard filled with trees in which Vestre's latest outdoor furniture collections will be exhibited
The central hub of The Plus will feature a circular courtyard filled with trees in which Vestre's latest outdoor furniture collections will be exhibited

The Plus will double as a hiking and camping destination and allow visitors a look at the production process going on inside, even enabling them to walk up onto a terrace on its green roof (there will also be disabled-accessible ramps and paths installed around the factory).

"The 6,500 sq m [roughly 70,000 sq ft] open production facility will double as a public 300-acre [121-hectare] park for hiking and camping while serving as a landmark aligned with the region's mission to establish a green manufacturing industry," says BIG. "From all four sides of the buildings, visitors and staff are invited to hike around the facility and conclude on the green roof terrace."

The Plus will double as a hiking and camping destination and will include children's pathways and ramps for disabled access
The Plus will double as a hiking and camping destination and will include children's pathways and ramps for disabled access

The Plus is hailed by BIG as the world's most sustainable furniture factory and the building is slated to be the first industrial building in the Nordic region to achieve BREAM Outstanding certification (a green building standard).

Building materials will include local timber and recycled reinforced steel, and 1,200 solar panels will be angled on the roof for maximum efficiency. Excess heat will be sent to an ice-water system for cooling, while a system of heat and cold storage tanks, heat pumps, and energy wells will all contribute to provide efficient heating and cooling. According to BIG's calculations, its sustainable design will mean that it will have at least a 90 percent lower energy demand than that of a similar conventional factory.

Construction is slated to begin later this year. We've no word yet on its expected completion date.

Source: BIG

View gallery - 8 images
1 comment
1 comment
ljaques
Cool factory. Too bad about the extra trees which will shade at least a quarter of the solar panels for half the day. How long will it be before they have wheelchair races up and down those ramps? ;)