Sustainability from Every Angle: Inside Voldsløkka School

Voldsløkka School and Cultural Station, a collaboration between SPINN Architects and Kontur Architects, is a standout example of sustainable architecture in Oslo. The project blends modern school facilities with cultural spaces like performance areas for music and dance. With a strong focus on energy efficiency, the building features solar panels and innovative design solutions that allow it to generate more energy than it consumes. It’s not just about energy efficiency, though—the design emphasizes flexibility and shared spaces, catering to both students and the surrounding community. We asked SPINN Architects' Miriam Sivertsen to give us a tour of the project. 

How did you get into architecture?
My original plan was to join the military, but when Norway entered the war in Afghanistan, I had to reconsider. I went back to a list of careers, starting alphabetically. I didn't get very far—only to "A"—and that's how I ended up choosing architecture. It felt like a good fit, and I haven’t looked back since.

Is Voldsløkka your first school or cultural project?
No, I’ve worked on other school projects before joining SPINN Architects in 2017, including elementary schools. However, Voldsløkka is the largest project I’ve worked on, and it’s unique because it blends educational and cultural spaces into one.

What’s different about designing a school compared to other buildings?
Designing a school requires a lot of collaboration. You need to talk to students, teachers, principals, and community groups. You also have to think about the specific needs of musicians or dancers who might use the same spaces. It’s not a cookie-cutter model like you might use for hotels, for example. Every group that shares the space has different needs, and our job is to translate those needs into a technical design that works for everyone.

Voldsløkka is said to be one of the most sustainable schools in the world. Can you tell us more about that?
Sustainability was a key consideration right from the planning phase. We focused on elasticity, generality, and flexibility—though those terms don’t mean much if you don’t execute them properly. For us, that meant making the building physically adaptable to the different groups that would use it. Internally, that required flexible structures—movable walls, for instance—which meant we had to work closely with builders to ensure it could all come together smoothly.

We also had strict material requirements. For example, we carefully chose the type of wood for the interior and focused on making the exterior durable. These choices raised the upfront cost, but they also ensure longevity. We considered the entire lifecycle of the building, including how it could be deconstructed with minimal waste—down to details like how the screws could be removed and reused.

Flexibility also means shared spaces. The practice rooms and stage areas can be used by the school during the day and by community groups or artists in the evening. Our goal was shared ownership of these spaces among the different groups that would use them – black box theaters and high-quality sound studios are now available both to students, professionals and anyone in the community who has an interest. 

You also incorporated green energy into the design?
Yes, mainly we fitted solar cells on both the roof and the walls. We would have liked to install even more but we couldn’t get the necessary permits due to cultural protection regulations. Still, we maximized the number of panels on the new parts of the building. On the roof, we used standard flat panels, while on the facade facing the boulevard, we opted for angular variations with a green tint to blend into the surroundings. We didn’t want to just slap black panels onto the facade—they needed to be part of the overall aesthetic.

Speaking of aesthetics, what was your vision for the design?
The area around Voldsløkka School is well-known in general but also to me. I lived there for seven years, so I became familiar with the trees that line the boulevard and their seasonal changes. We wanted the facade to coexist harmoniously with the towering trees and the variation in their leaves. There were strict guidelines in the regulatory plan—everything from the building's length and width to the requirement for transparency on the first floor so that passersby can see inside.

But we didn’t want the building to have a typical office-style layout with banded windows. We used the solar cells to play with angles and perspectives, optimizing their position to harness the most sunlight while keeping the aesthetic clean. It was a balancing act between regulatory demands and our creative vision, figuring out how to make a rectangular building fit into its natural environment.

Sustainability can be hard to recognize for the average person. Do people realize how sustainable Voldsløkka School is?
That’s a great question. We often assume people will seek out that information, but that’s rarely the case. Fortunately, this project has garnered a lot of media attention because of the plot’s visibility and historical significance, which has created opportunities to discuss sustainability with diverse audiences. We’re also part of the EU’s ARV project, which aims to highlight sustainable architecture across Europe. That’s helped raise awareness, and we’ve even engaged students in discussions about the project. We’ve given presentations to explain how the solar cells work, making it an educational experience for them as well.

What were the most challenging aspects of the project?
The war in Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic were at the top of the list. The war created material shortages, like in steel and certain types of wood. It was actually a learning experience for us in understanding where these materials come from.

Then, with COVID-19, we had to adjust to remote work, which is difficult for a project that typically necessitates in-person collaboration. Of course, a lot of the work was done via Zoom, but we also relied heavily on Building Information Modeling (BIM). We created such a detailed 3D model that, in many ways, it felt like we could execute the entire project remotely. We’ve used BIM before, but never to this extent. It allowed us to integrate everything from ventilation systems to architectural details into one comprehensive model.

Lastly, do you have a dream project?
I’m passionate about sustainability, and I love working on educational projects—from kindergartens to universities. But my dream project would be one where I could be involved from the very beginning, without the typical restrictions that come with most developments. I’d love to focus more on the spaces in between—the hallways and common areas – essentially the "democratic spaces" where everyone interacts and has equal standing. These are often overlooked, but to me, they’re the most important areas. My dream would be to design a project where we have the budget to expand and enhance these communal spaces, all while staying true to sustainable principles.

SAPA Producer/customer: H-fasader GlassTeam AS

SAPA Products: SAPA 1086, SAPA 2086 and SAPA 4150

Architect: Spinn Arkitekter and Kontur Arkitekter

Project name: Voldsløkka skole og kulturstasjon

Photographer: Finn Ståle Felberg