One of the world’s most advanced facilities for ocean research and education, the Ocean Space Centre will be built in Trondheim, Norway.
It aims to contribute to the development and restructuring of the maritime industry locally, nationally and globally.
The 49.000 square metre knowledge centre’s world-class laboratories and research facilities will be ‘a centre of gravity within ocean space technology’, keeping Norway at the forefront of this critical industry.
It will contain both wet and dry laboratories with ocean pools, construction and machine laboratories, educational facilities and laboratories, offices and meeting spaces. The facilities create a unique framework for research and competence within ocean space and are adapted to various functions and activities, while also being tied together by an overarching architectural expression and rhythm.
Visitors to the Ocean Space Centre will first encounter the research and educational building. More than being an inspirational learning platform for students and researchers, the building also invites other visitors to dive into the ocean space.
The second building houses the Flexlab: an existing ocean pool transformed to an unparalleled combination of various pools for education and small-scale testing. Two large pools are placed in the third building. Here, one can also find the construction and machine laboratories, workshops and storage. Reaching 280 metres in length, the building contains significant volumes both above and under ground to allow for pools up to 25-metres in depth.
Stein Lier-Hansen, CEO of the Federation of Norwegian Industries, said: “International competition is fierce and Norway now needs to ensure that our centres of excellence in ocean space technology stay at the leading edge. A modern infrastructure for research and next-generation laboratories will make important contributions to winning new markets, guaranteeing jobs and industrial development, and resolving environmental challenges
The Ocean Space Centre’s regulation plan was approved by Trondheim’s City Council on September 2, 2021 and is scheduled to start construction summer 2022.