Tøyen Rainforest is a temporary urban space initiative that focuses on the challenges we face today with climate change and loss of biodiversity. The project aims to show how nature in urban areas can help solve some of these challenges and is coordinated by the Planning and Building Agency at ByKuben, in collaboration with Oslo’s Historic District, the Environmental Agency and Deichmann Tøyen.
The project will last up to 2 years or until the first sod is laid for what will be the permanent solution on site. The area is now in a zoning plan process.
The forest is planted on three islands and consists of a total of 50 trees divided into 23 different tree species. Under the trees is a meadow with shrubs and perennials that are naturally found in the area around Oslo.
The trees in the forest consist of typical varieties for Oslo and Eastern Norway, along with some imported tree species that are commonly planted in streets, parks and gardens. The trees have a great variety of sizes, shapes and colors with different leaves, flowers, fruits and bark. The trees were chosen to reflect trees from Norwegian seed sources mixed with imported species to highlight the variety and diversity found in a city. Under the trees there is also vegetation and elements that provide housing and food for many kinds of insects and small creatures. Here, pollinating insects such as bees can find nectar all summer long, spiders can make webs between straw and branches, and beetles and centipedes can hide under leaves and logs. In the meadow, the plants can develop, bloom and set seeds.
Data
Landscape Architecture: Grindaker
Photo credits: Damian Heinisch
