Firms exploring concepts for future ministry offices selected

The consultant firms Metier, OPAK and architects LPO Arkitekter have been awarded the task of exploring concept evaluations for future ministry offices in Norway.

The Ministry of Government Administration, Reform and Church Affairs (FAD) has received three tenders in the bidding round. The closing date for submitting complaints is the 20^th of July before the decision is final. The work with the concept evaluations starts in August, and is expected to be completed next summer.

The concept evaluation review has to include an evaluation of a concentrated solution where the main bulk of the ministries are going to have their offices in the present government quarter and adjacent areas. The review has to include alternatives with or without tearing down one or several of the damaged buildings (the high-rise building containing the offices of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Justice (Høyblokka) and the ministry office buildings called Y block, S block and R4). In addition, the Government wants a presentation of alternatives including the possibility of moving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of the Environment to the government quarter.

Quality assurance of the study and report is going to be done through the Ministry of Finance’s so-called KS1 system.  Then the FAD ministry is going to present a sketch of the further work with the government quarter which the Government cabinet is going to consider.

The firms Metier, OPAK and LPO Arkitekter are going to identify the possibilities in consultation with employees, professional communities and others affected. The Ministry has also received suggestions in a blog which was open until the first of April 2012.  

A few months ago the Government decided that the ministries are going to be located within or close to the present government quarter and that development of the government quarter is going to be done through a government development plan.