The winners of the AAA – Aerogel Architecture Award 2023

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Our Skur 38 project from Oslo (Norway) achieved 3rd place. 1st place went to Austrasse in Meilen (Switzerland).

Oslo's Skur 38 project wins third place at AAA2023

For the third time, the Swiss research institute Empa is honouring international projects that have been carried out using aerogel materials. Awards are given in two categories to both refurbishment projects that have already been realised and planning projects by students from all over the world. Energy efficiency, preservation of the historical appearance and the originality of the solution on the buildings are assessed.

Our Aerogel high-performance insulating plaster impressed the expert jury across the board, as the entry submitted by architects Hille Melbye and Kristin Jarmund from Oslo (Norway) took 3rd place thanks to the use of Fixit 222 Aerogel high-performance insulating plaster. The ‘Skur 38’ harbour building in Oslo, built in 1915, was renovated and converted for two years (from 2020 to 2022) according to the principles of sustainability, energy efficiency, circular economy and the BREEAM NOR standard and now forms the new heart of Oslo harbour.

The 3rd place winners are lined up on the AAA2023 stage, a flower arrangement in the foreground and the AAA2023 logo in the background

The historic façade was upgraded to energy class B with our innovative Fixit Aerogel high-performance insulation, thus achieving the ‘BREEAM Excellent’ level - without compromising the listed appearance of the building. The colour scheme of the building in two muted shades of green blends in with the surroundings and creates a visual connection between the elements. During the further refurbishment, existing materials were reused where possible and appropriate, combined with new technologies and reinterpreted. A good example of this are the old mahogany timbers from the harbour director's office: these now adorn the new canteen as a modern wall element.

 

General view of the Skur 38 building from the street side
Detailed view of the Skur 38 entrance area at the opening with a man in uniform, a man in a suit and a small four-piece orchestra

Thanks to the combination of technologically innovative solutions, excellent expertise in even the smallest details and perfect cooperation between the various trades, the Skur 38 refurbishment project in Oslo makes a statement in terms of combining history and modernity and also impressed the expert jury of the Aerogel Architecture Award 2023.

We would like to congratulate them on this award and, together with all the winners, are delighted with the innovative solutions and possible applications for the unique material Aerogel.

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