Many European cities have a long tradition of collective housing. Living with a degree of common solutions provides benefits of both an environmental and social nature. In Norway, collective housing is poorly developed. Hurdalssjøen Økolandsby, Svartlamon and Vindmøllebakken are the most well-known examples of large-scale collective housing projects. Several eco-communities are at the moment being planned in Norway, and the initiators of Ormsundveien Økogrend want Oslo, with its distinctive position as the capital, to have room for a larger housing project of this type. Ormsundveien Økogrend is our response to the municipality's ambitions for a more diverse housing offer and a greater focus on urban ecological housing.

Since 2007, Ormsundveien 14 has been one of Oslo Municipality's two approved urban ecological housing projects. Over the last ten years, the residents have gained valuable experience with collective housing. In recent years, the members of the residents' association have had a desire to expand the project to make room for more residents. A larger area of ​​the neighborhood is now available, and as a natural continuation of the existing housing project, we are therefore looking at the possibility of establishing an eco-hamlet in the area.

The most important thing the hamlet can offer is a sustainable housing model that does not exclude any groups. It is a stated goal for the village that a proportion of the residents should be disadvantaged in the housing market. These can in turn consist of, for example, convicted offenders, young adults on their way out of foster homes and refugees. Other residents must be people with an interest in collective housing and a climate-friendly lifestyle. A lot of time has been spent on planning for a good living environment and good integration of vulnerable groups, through, among other things, participation processes, follow-up of residents and work training for some of the residents associated with partner organizations.

In 2016 a team at Eriksen Skajaa Architects led by Arild Eriksen developed a feasability study for tenant participation and co-housing in the existing buildings. The architect office Fragment now follow up the process and Arild Eriksen is in the board.

the "Ormsundveien model" that we develop is a method for integrating urban ecological housing projects in existing neighborhoods through participatory processes that develop shared ambitions, models for the organisation of the housing project and possible models for inclusion of new actors.