all plusses and no minuses
Illustration: Leonie Bos
Vestre opens the world’s most sustainable manufacturing facility, The Plus, & there is oh so much to luv
Published On: 10/3/2023
Norwegian urban furniture company Vestre has been a forerunner in sustainable and transparent manufacturing for years. Their motto, "Anyone can save the world, at least a bit," speaks of how we can each do a small part to create a big change, but this doesn't stop them from striving to do more. In 2019, they approached renowned architectural firm BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) with a bold vision, and in 2022 successfully opened the world’s most sustainable manufacturing facility, “The Plus.”
Film: Jo Bergersen/Fjuz / Vestre
Set at the edge of a 300,000-square-meter pine forest in Magnor, Norway, the team was able to create an architecturally beautiful structure while preserving as much of the land as possible—about 95% to be exact. Aerial views of the building show the geometrical form of a plus sign that has been designed to blend seamlessly into the forest and its surroundings.
Einar Aslaksen / Vestre
At the heart of the building is an open-air courtyard, which acts as a 360-degree viewing hub of the different stages of production. To add a sense of playfulness, each production area sports its own signature Vestre RAL colour, which is reflected on the machinery and striped along the floors, creating a sense of flow and guiding onlookers through each stage of production.
Einar Aslaksen / Nicolas Tourrenc / Vestre
The green roof is full of natural forest vegetation that coexists with a staggering 900 solar panels and is predicted to generate approximately 250 000 kWh of renewable energy annually. As for heating this 7,000 m2 space, they have a “green” solution for that as well: using surplus heat from production.
“The building’s energy requirement is 90% lower than that of a similar conventional factory.”
Vestre
Building materials were carefully selected with a focus on environmental impact and include local mass timber, low-carbon concrete, recycled steel, and lumber from the site's fallen trees. The technical framework (sewage, power, etc.) was passed along roads, limiting the disturbance to the natural ecosystem as much as possible.
More than 2,000 square metres of glass facades were specifically developed to contribute to the building's closeness to nature, transparency, and low energy consumption.
Einar Aslaksen / Vestre
“The radical transparency invites visitors and hikers to enjoy the whole process of creation while providing Vestre’s team with the thrill of working in the middle of a forest. To us, The Plus is a crystal clear example of hedonistic sustainability, showing us how our sustainable future will not only be better for the environment but also more beautiful to work in and more fun to visit.”
Vestre
The Plus, like everything else, began as an idea and with determination and conviction, became a reality, showing the world that manufacturing can be sustainable, transparent, beautiful, and in harmony with nature.
We congratulate Vestre, BIG, and the 30+ architects, landscape architects, designers, engineers, building physicists, biologists, ecologists, and technologists for their groundbreaking accomplishment. We hope that The Plus will influence more manufacturers to adapt greener practises and join the crucial shift towards a circular future.
Einar Aslaksen / Vestre
In the spirit of full transparency and "the freedom to roam," The Plus's green roof, surrounding forest, and trails are open to the public 24/7, all year round. They also offer guided tours of the Vestre Energy Center and the Vestre Clean Water Center, where you can learn about energy production, energy recovery, water treatment, and the cycle of materials.
To stay up to date on Vestre's products and events at The Plus, have a look at their website or follow them on Instagram.
And Just case you need more reasons to love Vestre, we recommend you check out their collection of urban furniture designed to increase biodiversity in urban areas, Vestre Habitats.
Vestre / Koy + Winkel Photography
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Sources & Images:
https://big.dk/projects/the-plus-3837
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