Villa Otium ADA Adaptations

We were asked to propose designs that would make the Villa Otium, the U.S. Ambassador's residence in Oslo, Norway, more accessible. Built in 1911, we had to learn about and pay special attention to the historical preservation and the cultural significance of the building. We had the opportunity to visit the site in February 2023 where we took measurements of the existing conditions and where I learned how to use a laser scanner as well as interpret the data collected using that. The areas needing to be adapted were the exterior circulation and the bathrooms inside the main house. I focused on the exterior circulation in both the front and back of the house. I appreciated the materials chosen by the original architect in 1911, so in my designs I mirrored those because not only are they aesthetically pleasing, but they are functional and have stood the test of time.