Globalisation and migration cause fast changes in the urban environment which
puts significant pressure on the social, cultural and economic relationships in
urban neighbourhoods and on the inhabitants growing up there.
The project focuses the role of the youth and young adults (16-25) as an essential
actor and asset of the disadvantaged neighbourhood of Tøyen, Oslo. Even though
being a large group at a defining stage in their life, they tend to be left out the
hegemonic process of urban development.
Tøyen has during the past five years undergone an urban regeneration process,
dubbed the Tøyen ‘Area-lift’. The thesis has its outset in how the process has influenced
the opportunity space of 16-25’s and how urban regeneration can afford
possibilities of engaging youth through urban design - with an emphasis of counteracting
the adverse effects of regeneration, such as gentrification.
By mapping the network of the local asset through literature research, interviews
and field mapping, we sought potentials in the urban environment to help
strengthen the neighbourhood and engage the youth in their community. The
uncovering of many promising assets and programs led to a strategy of strengthening
the physical connections in-between actors, by envisioning targeted urban
design interventions that enhance communication, acceptability and curiosity
amongst youth and the rest of the neighbourhood.
Using local assets of the neighbourhood as the base of the further development
of Tøyen ensures that the community takes part in the change and strengthens
the sociocultural relation. The strategy has a potential to be implemented in other
neighbourhoods to ensure strategically placed urban interventions for development
of the community from within.