OSLO A MONOCLE CITY SURVEY — From forest to fjord: the best that Norway’s dynamic capital has to offer — 01 02 03 04 05 06 City on Business Capital Better Great Recipes for the move with pleasure of culture by design outdoors success The political The best Oslo Tour the city’s Oslo’s aspiring We head Dining options movers and entrepreneurs, arts scene creative talents beyond the that reserve shakers get- from small via festivals, and the archi- city limits for Oslo’s place ting creative independents theatre, music tects building a natural at the top culi- at City Hall. to oil giants. and more. a bright future. wander. nary table. OSLO IS AT THE HEART of Norway´s business and cultural life. As the capital city of Norway it powers the cultural and business environments that have created much of the Norwegian society we know today. BY BEING A SMALL BIG CITY, it has nourished collaboration across business sectors and social struc- tures and become a city of talents. Oslo is a melting pot for creativity, knowledge and capital. ROOTED IN THE OPEN, transparent and trustworthy Norwegian society, Oslo is now a leading region of international business and entrepre- neurship. WELCOME TO OSLO - THE CAPITAL OF NORWAY. Photo: Damian Heinisch Photo: ���� �������� ������ ������ ��� ������������ �� ��� ���� ���� ������ ��� ��� ���� ���� ������ ���. OSL - Oslo Airport, Statoil ASA, ØYA - Music festival, NFI -Film Commision Norway, Aspelin Ramm Eiendom AS, Tjuvholmen KS, T - Norwegian Trekking Association, Visit Oslo and the City of Oslo. Poll to poll WELCOME & CONTENTS Norway has topped the Legatum Institute’s annual Prosperity Index for the past four years and last year saw Norway rise five places to a lofty sixth position in the Entrepreneurship and Opportunity Index. Overview 06 Map & overview We take a bird’s-eye view of the city’s main — Oslo is a city in flux. The Norwegian neighbourhoods to help you get your bearings capital has long topped polls for its and add a few vital statistics for good measure. undoubtable quality of life, impeccable 07 — 09 public services and behind-the-scenes City & infrastructure diplomatic clout. But as one of Europe’s From Oslo’s peaceful past to the City Hall reformers changing the urban landscape, wealthiest and fastest-growing cities it this is a round-up of the city’s best and is branching out, shaking off its Nordic brightest developments. modesty and stepping up to take the 10 — 13 initiative in everything from urban Business & entrepreneurship planning to entrepreneurship. Banking, inner-city manufacturing and the entrepreneurs to watch: meet the inspiring While many dwell on the positive effects people who are spearheading the city’s (and swollen coffers) of the city’s vast oil commercial enlightenment. wealth, Oslovians enjoy other more life- 15 — 17 affirming resources, too. There’s the city’s Culture, art & media From a newspaper delivering good news for breathtaking scenery, nearness to nature Oslo’s media scene to a crop of new artists and walkable size, for example. Then painting a picture of prosperity, we take the there’s the vitality of its bubbling coffee cultural temperature of the “Tiger City”. culture, deep well of architecture talent and 18 — 21 EASY ACCESSIBLE OSLO emerging design scene. Design & architecture We meet the talented community of designers And that’s not to mention the confident clubbing together to take on the world and chat Norwegians travel a lot and we have many visitors to our country. This year a record-breaking 24 million passengers investment in everything from art to to the city’s celebrated architects about build- ing Oslo’s reputation. will travel through Oslo Airport (OSL). Oslo Airport is the second busiest airport in Scandinavia and has been the infrastructure, as well as the fast-moving fastest growing hub in recent years. 30 million passengers are expected in 2020. Norway’s capital Oslo is only 19 renovation of its harbourside. We crossed 22 — 23 fjord and forest (past City Hall and the Retail & fashion minutes from Oslo Airport with the Airport Express Train. Visit the best in bricks and mortar retail, the ski slopes, of course) to meet the people must-browse boutiques and the people keep- bringing Oslo out of the shadow of its ing the fashion scene on the cutting edge. OSLO AIRPORT IS NORWAY’S HUB AND OFFERS DAILY SERVICES TO 30 DOMESTIC DESTINATIONS. Nordic neighbours and into plain view In total, you can fly direct to Oslo from 154 destinations worldwide with scheduled airlines. In recent years, there 25 — 27 on the global stage. Food & drink has been an increase in demand for long haul travel and Oslo Airport currently has intercontinental direct routes to We savour the work of local chefs, keep an New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale in the USA, Bangkok in Thailand, Doha in Qatar eye on cuisine-driven commerce and suggest some accommodating hotels in which to rest and Dubai in the UAE. The development of further intercontinental routes is a focus area for Oslo Airport, and a Editor Liquid gold your head. Josh Fehnert Norway’s oil is worth €672bn steady rise in new destinations is expected. and since 1990 the Norges Assistant Editor 28 — 29 Bank Investment Management Marie-Sophie Schwarzer Nature & leisure has managed the Government Cabins, ski slopes, mushroom-picking and GATEWAY TO SCANDINAVIA Art Director Pension Fund, which owns Emma Chiu boating are all within easy reach in this pint- Oslo Airport’s extensive network of regional routes makes it the best starting point 1 per cent of the world’s stocks Photo Editor and property from New York to sized city. for visits to all of Norway’s and Scandinavia’s world-famous tourist destinations. Lois Wright London. The reserves belong 30 Photographer to the people, making each Five essential experiences Thomas Ekström citizen a theoretical millionaire. We head to the Vigeland Sculpture Park, hop EXPANSION OF THE AIRPORT Vim and vigour Illustrator on a fjord-ward ferry and drop a line in the Aker To cater for future demand Oslo Airport is building new capacity. An extended Laszlito Kovacs Oslo is a young city with a long history and celebrated its River, plus a few ideas to round off your trip. terminal building costing $ 2.3 billion will open in 2017. Special thanks 1,000-year anniversary as a Oslo Business Region, settlement in 2000. It was under Thea Urdal Danish rule from 1536 and Swedish from 1814 till 1905. Overview MAP & CITY & — Here are the OVERVIEW people, organisations INFRASTRUCTURE and initiatives keeping the city running smoothly and main- taining its reputation harbour as one of Europe’s Raising the Bar most alluring places Oslo’s harbour highlights the to call home. From the city’s growing focus on its high-rise developments waterfront. Behind the majestic Opera House are the high-rise changing the way glass fronts of the Barcode it does business to development. Each of its Oslo’s enviable public 11 buildings is stylistically NORWAY services, proximity different with only the alternating base colours SWEDEN to nature and creative predetermined. The masterwork City Hall, this is a city of Dutch architects MVRDV, the on the up. site will be completed in 2016. mvrdv.nl FINLAND transport Cool runnings Oslo is small enough to cross on foot but during the long winter Oslo Helsinki months its metros, trams and Stockholm buses are a welcome relief from the cold. Part-financed by road tolls and charging traffic to enter the city centre, the trans- port system has been improved to the tune of nok15.6bn (€1.9bn) between 2001 and DENMARK 2011. The introduction of Os- Copenhagen lo’s toll road more than 20 years ago has reduced traffic by 5 per cent and 45 per cent of the revenue generated is reinvested Overview facts & figures State education in Norway into public transport. For those 6 Oslo essentials free from the age of: visiting from further afield, Oslo’s modern Gardermoen — Scandinavia is already synony- Number of years that Oslo Green space within Oslo: airport is just under half an mous with world-leading design and has been recognised as a 307 sq km hour away by train from the culinary offerings but while Stock- captial, making it the oldest Number of islands in example in Scandinavia: 1,000 city’s central station. holm and Copenhagen tend to grab Oslofjord: 40 ruter.no the headlines, Oslo is now raising Century in which the term Electric-car charging points eyebrows in its own right. Norway’s Scandinavia was first used to in Olso: 1,226 capital is undergoing a rapid trans- collectively describe Norway, nature Sweden and Denmark: 18th Norway’s constitution formation fuelled by an influx of introduced: 1814 Right to roam foreign talent, an educated workforce Oslo population: 638,500; metropolitan area: 2.1 million Fully paid leave for Known as the Blue Green and developments that are trans- childcare in Norway: 49 city, Oslo is surrounded by forming the face of the city. Land- Oslo commuters who cycle weeks, of which the father evergreen forests of Norwe- mark builds such as the iconic Opera to work: 12% can take 23 gian pine and cerulean fjords House and the business-minded Number of international to the south. Salmon can be Number of museums in seen in the Aker River that Barcode development rejuvinated the destinations served by Olso: 45 Oslo Airport: 112 flows through the heart of city’s harbourside while independent Number of cinemas in Oslo: town and lush parks (we like retailers give cause for further Number of intercontinental 7 cinemas and 27 screens Frogner and Birkelunden) dot optimism.