Juror & Host of the Urban Lab x OBOS

Tin was tasked to lead the jury-process and to be the host at the dinner/award ceremony of the Urban Lab x OBOS - Back to the Future competition. Using the NMBU students as a testbed for affordable housing issues deemed critical by OBOS. For the duration of two days, 80+ students in 15 teams will participate, leading to a grand dinner with 3 awards and 3 honorable mentions being handed out.

Before the initiation of the competition, the first day consisted of lectures from the CEO himself Daniel Sriraj on the status quo on housing, NMBU’s Erling Dokk Holm’s inspirational talk and the innovation team at OBOS presenting micro stories summing up the critical issues in relation to affordability and neighbourhoods. The second day consisted of the competition itself, with Tin joining the team to lead the jury-process and hosting the dinner/award ceremony. The jury consisted of both OBOS and NMBU representatives: Karin Schauer (Nye Hjem), Stian Lindås (innovatør), Hanne Løvbrøtte (Nye Hjem) + Synne Eide (alumni) and Tin Phan (research fellow at NMBU).

The awarded teams were as following:

1st. Place - Team 8 Hvordan kan OBOS imøtekomme eldrebølgen, stadig økende sosiale behov og mangel på studentboliger?
Jurors comments: Proposes a novel public/private collaboration, which solves several problems: lack of student housing, adapted housing for the elderly, loneliness among the elderly and young people and postponing the need for care of seniors. The concept is deemed feasible and contributes to more efficient living, and the combined target groups - the young and the elderly - contribute to a better everyday conditions for each other.
Students: Eirik Iversen Millie Thrygg Oliver Brevik Ylva Angelfoss Øxseth Adrian Martinsen
2nd. Place - Team 12 OBOS Generasjon.
Jurors’ remarks: Generational housing focus and show good insight into the OBOS system with gamification as an approach. This proposal is interesting because they look at a collaboration between the housing association and the property management. In addition, they ensure a generational mix, with clear criteria.
Students: Prachi Kumari, Diana Hernández Aguilar, Fredrik Haagensen, Olav Olsborg, Vida Dullum.
3rd. Place - Team 10 Nabolaget.
Jurors’ remarks: A feasible and positive neighborhood concept. Interesting that they combine it with social, cultural and sustainability challenges. Good description of an idea that suits the broader target groups beyond families with small children.
Students: Live Jackman, Maren Halbakken Viken, Tuva Heimdal, Salma Arakia, Ole Håvard Singsaas.
Honorable Mention - Team 9 Pop-up Street.
Jurors’ remarks: The idea on tenants on the ground level is well communicated with good illustrations, and addresses a well-known OBOS challenge: life between the houses. The element of innovation in grassroots initiatives is interesting.
Students: Selma Lande, Hegge Ingrid Tveit, Henriette Kaale, Ane Byrkjeland, Ingeborg Emilie Hodnesdal.
Honorable Mention - Team 4 Ulven våkner til livet.
Jurors’ remarks: Focuses on facility management and is realistic that OBOS see works in practice. Good approach to self-driving through planned counselling. They strike a good balance between what is done in the neighborhood and what OBOS' expertise requires.
Students: Fredrik Riefenstahl, Ingrid Wilson Søbstad, Adrien Vachaud, Sharuga Balasundaram, Ada Birch.
Honorable Mention - Team 7 Pulse.
Jurors’ remarks: Improvement of customer journey with clear presentation with natural meetings between residents, and a digital platform for the sharing economy. The app has one exciting interplay between the analogue and the digital.
Students: Johan Linstad, Ingrid Hasaas, Emma Chuaynoo, Vegard Høgi Olsen, Einar Torgils Settemsdal.

Urban Lab is a student-driven initiative and the arena for testing out ideas within urban and regional development, where students come into contact with both academia and the business world. This is usually carried out in the form of idea competitions with inspirational lectures and a jury at the end. The events are designed to be both social and for professional development, a networking session between academic and professional community. Prior to this Urban Lab event, Tin was also involved in the first competition and the official Urban Lab kick off with his “de-motivational speech” back in 2021.