Mjøsparken – a park accommodating everyone
The Municipality of Ringsaker initiated a visionary project: to transform a swathe of polluted wasteland into a multi-purpose park that embraces all ages and interests. The result is a leisure and recreational area that exceeds all expectations of locals and visitors alike.
Project owner: Municipality of Ringsaker, Norway
Architecture: Norconsult and Østengen & Bergo (draft project)
Partner: Betongpark
Lead users:
Council for people with disabilities, council for the elderly, local residents, teenagers, families, seniors, local and regional schools and kindergardens, dog walkers, exercisers, groups participating in organized public health activities, the skate club, sports fishing association and small boat association, regional/national/international visitors and tourists, and other interest groups.
Methods:
Workshops, consulting, observation and feedback from guests and users. In addition; landscape analyses and registrations, mapping of development history and concept development in several phases
Awards:
Inonvation Award for Inclusive Design 2023, category Landscape Architecture (Design and Architecture Norway).
10,000
Tens of thousands of visitors every year since established.
Challenge: From disused industrial area to public park
In Brumunddal in the Municipality of Ringsaker, sandwiched between the European route E6 and Lake Mjøsa, lay Strandsaga – an industrial area formerly used for handling of timber for the local wood industry. Overgrown and badly polluted, the area formed a barrier between Brumunddal and Lake Mjøsa, Norway’s largest lake. The widening of the E6 to a dual carriageway and the building of Mjøstårnet, then the world’s tallest wooden building, with a hotel, apartments and offices, provided the opportunity for wholescale development of the waterfront area.
Thorough participatory processes with a wide diversity of citizens resulted in a broad spectrum of aspirations for the Ringsaker authorities to consider. With a bold vision, they set themselves the goal of creating the county of Innlandet’s most attractive public recreation area. Mjøsparken was to contribute to social and other activities irrespective of age, interests and functional ability – a meeting place for both residents and visitors.
During the preliminary phase, landscape architects from Østengen & Bergo was commissioned to develop a draft project for the entire area. They sketched out a recreational park with particular emphasis on various activity zones – both on land and along the water’s edge – for the diversity of the local population. This was developed further by landscape architects at Norconsult by dividing the park into different areas, each of which was to offer unique, spectacular experiences for everyone. The park was to facilitate pedestrians and cyclists as well as visitors arriving from the local area, via the motorway or the waterway.
Approach: Local development as a strategy
Both the landscape architects and the local municipality have succeeded in their visions: Mjøsparken has become a veritable pearl on the Lake Mjøsa shore. Braided pathways lead us between specially adapted bathing areas, skateboard ramps and sensory gardens. Calm walks are lined with a diversity of flora while faster cycle paths along the shoreline have become a favourite with commuters on their way into town.
The pathways weave the various activity areas together. They also bring the visitors together, whatever their age or background. Creating an inclusive meeting place, a safe local area and promoting social sustainability through physical activities and social opportunities suitable for everyone was at the core of the project.
The idea of the inclusive meeting place is demonstrated in the location of the skateboard park is ensured through open areas and good lighting which is especially important after nightfall. Equally, a tunnel underneath the E6 provides safe passage for young people cycling into the park from Brumunddal. And social sustainability stems from the overall concept: activities for everyone and no physical obstacles to exclude anyone.
The jury is taken with the delightful Mjøsparken – a beautiful, vibrant and species-rich meeting point for the local population. It has become an inclusive people’s park and is an excellent local development for the Brumunddal of the future.
Result: Something for everyone
The formerly inaccessible area between the E6 and Lake Mjøsa has been metamorphosed into an oasis by the water. The formerly inaccessible lakeshore has been transformed into a shallow, sandy-beached bathing lagoon. The beach is universally designed – with equal use for all in mind – and features a swimming rig, barbecue areas and various sitting options.
Access to the beach area for persons with impaired functional ability is via a cast ramp. Physical access to the water is via another ramp leading to a swimming rig in the middle of the lagoon. This is perceived to be a safe configuration for persons with impaired functional ability, elderly people looking for extra security and a great hit with younger children. The area is otherwise clearly laid out with pushchair-friendly gravel and the furniture is suitable for wheelchair users with extended table-tops and armrests installed on benches to provide a comfortable sitting position.
The sensory garden is great for dementia care to rekindle old memories. It is built up with a wealth of traditional perennials such as geraniums and bergenias and profusely flowering, sweet-smelling plants such as lilacs, roses and magnolias, thoughtfully arranged in respect of colour, fragrance and memories. There are level promenades and pathways, an extensive selection of inclusive seating options, lush vegetation and areas offering both sun and shadow, as well as activity areas with skateboard parks for anyone of any level who want to explore their skateboard, cycle, scooter or wheelchair skills. The park features petanque, basketball and sand volleyball courts, a playground, dog park and separate watering posts for our four-legged friends. In the summer, there is an outdoor restaurant with views over Lake Mjøsa.
The park facilities are designed for all in terms of accessibility, inclusion and a feeling of security around the clock. The conscious choice of surfaces and edges, basic lighting and special lighting, makes it easy to maintain an overview. Here is space enough for activity or relaxation for people of all ages.
Mjøsparken encourages you to pursue your own interests or find activities to share with your family and friends. The very fact that there is something for everyone and one can relate to Lake Mjøsa in many different ways creates an inclusive whole.
In wintertime, the basketball court is converted into a skating rink and becomes an arena for completely new experiences. The most important routes and pathways are cleared of snow and visitors on wheels or on foot are welcomed to the park in its winter cloak.
Vipps is more than just an app. It is a service that has made my daily tasks a lot more convenient and easier as a blind person.
Healthy and free
Social sustainability describes the enormous value Mjøsparken provides. Being both outdoors and outside the city centre, Mjøsparken is an important physical and social supplement for getting people active. Increased public health has been one of the goals, and this has now been made possible in an attractive, safe, universally designed environment.
One important design element is safe, universally designed access from Brumunddal town centre and the E6 for pedestrians and other visitors on two or four wheels, as well as from the marina, the new Skibladner jetty and Mjøstårnet.
Mjøsparken is a one-of-a-kind in terms of size and diversity. While there is space enough for everyone, it is still possible to find one’s own private place in the middle of the larger social context.
Benefits: Allow plenty of time for concept development
Multi-faceted Mjøsparken has been a great success as a people’s park, offering various activities to many different groups within the population. It connects the town of Brumunddal to the attractive beaches alongside the Lake Mjøsa shoreline despite the fact that the dual carriageway of the E6 lies between.
To create something on the scale of Mjøsparken takes time. It requires a reliable client and excellent cooperation throughout the entire process. That is why it has been so valuable to the project that the municipality has remained true to its vision. In the years it took to develop the park, responsibility for the project within the municipality has been placed in various hands, but the clear guidelines have at all times allowed the project to progress in the right direction.
Local development as a strategy for increased pride and attractiveness for Brumunddal and the wider municipality has really been brought to life in Mjøsparken. This is an exciting project that provides great value for a wide range of people and needs. It is also an important contributor towards encouraging relocation to and business development in the area, and a role model project for many municipalities and cities.