Student Project, AHO, 2025
Oslo is proud of their district heating network. Dampcentralen in Rosenkrantz’ gate is one of 15 facilities providing hot water to the system. Since 1892, the building has evolved alongside electricity and heat production. How can geothermal wells enhance self-sufficiency, stability, and security for Oslo's district heating, and what spatial potential lies in this transition?
If Oslo is truly invested in the future of district heating, the network’s coverage should expand. This would require more heat production across more facilities. Currently, electricity, waste and oil power most boilers, which is problematic. Geothermal energy, by contrast, is renewable. Hot water is pumped from below ground to feed the heating system or generate electricity, then returned underground, forming a clean, closed-loop system. Geothermal wells offer local energy, enabling neighborhoods to become self-sufficient, and deep wells could generate electricity. The wells would also provide access to groundwater.
Facilities with turbines and filters distributed around Oslo could form hubs—self-reliant in heat, water, and power—doubling as emergency shelters if infrastructure fails. At Dampcentralen, additional layers of protection enable it to act as a secure space, including bomb shelters, for people and critical systems. A large support structure for the façade provides stability during well drilling, reinforces the building against potential attacks, and integrates vertical circulation through stairs. The large “boiler hall” offers flexible use in daily life or emergencies and could serve as soup kitchens and other community programs. This makes Dampcentralen a hub for heat, electricity, water, safety, and community in Kvadraturen.