BERGEN - LANDSCAPE, PRODUCTIVE LAND & NEEDS

The  city of Bergen is situated on the west coast of Norway and has been one of the most important national (and international) harbours in its history, with connection to the rest of the world mainly by sea in its first hundred years. 

The city is situated in a landscape with strong
caracter surrounded by 7 more or less steep
mountains, shaped in arcs called Bergens buene.
This hilly topography causes the caracteristic
humid climate the city is known for; mild humid
air from the North Sea and Atlantic comes in and
is pushed up along the mountain sides, causing the
temperature to drop and rain. The topography of
Bergen also makes city-planning challenging,
regarding settlement pattern and infrastrucutral
mobility strategies connected to settlement and
densification.

After centuries of beeing a city connected by sea
and horse (and by foot naturally), from 1900
Bergen developed connection-lines by rail.

Bergens banen crossing the mountain to the
eastern part of Norway (Oslo) was built in the
beginning of the 20th century. But also within its
city-limits and to neighboring municipalities (now
some included into Bergen Municipality) light rail
lines were developed, one of them turning in
todays light rail stop, access-point : Wergeland.

From the middle of the 20th century the private
car was more and more prioritated, and by massive
development of the road system a new settlement
pattern spread out caused by the accessibility of
the car.

Later plane traffic for people and goods has also
escalated. Connecting Bergen to the rest og the
world with oil.











This development of Bergen (prioritating private car infrastructure) has continued up until today,
and still seems to be the political mentality in the Region of Bergen.
Bergen Municipality masters an area of 465,68km2. 50% of this landscape is above 160m. 4,4% is
freshwater surface.

The urban areas are spread out over 108,5 km2, 23,3% of the total area of the Municipality,
divided into eight boroughs. With 267 860 inhabitants it is not a big city.

3,5% of Bergens area is farmland supporting only 11 780 people with food, on a vegetarian diet.
On a meat diet it is only sufficient to support 1980 peole through the year.

If all the 267 860 inhabitants was living on a vegetarian diet and it was all to be produced
within the Municipality it would require 333,58 km2, 71,6% of the landscape floor.

The Goverments amitions for the future is that we must be able to support ourselves
with 50% of consumed food within national borders to not put ourselves in a voulnerable position.
Based on these goals and ambitions to lower our eco-footprints
a change in local political mentality is required.