The City as a Forest was the thesis program that specified the objectives for project 003 (Parking Structure & Viaduct in Oslo). The book consists of a series of texts explaining why the program for the thesis is a parking structure and the different themes that should be considered in relation to the assignment. The first part of the book aims to understand structure. How can we start to form a language for a structure that marries the mathematical laws of gravity that govern any structural decision with a more artistic interpretation of what it means to “stand up”?

Another critical theme in the book was the idea of permanence. What does it mean to build something that is meant to last? Is it the care of the designer and builders? The quality of the work? The qualities of the materials? The mass of the project? Is it another factor? Why do some buildings stand the test of time? 

Secondly, the book considers the context of Oslo. The text asks a simple question. What governs the development of Oslo that has led to the extensive sprawl it sees today? The text traces this sprawl back to the Norwegian independence in 1814, following the political incentives for further sprawl that were reinforced throughout the 19th century, culminating with the advent of the car in the 20th century. This development has led to a dependency on the car. With new climate awareness, the car is no longer the liberator but also a problem in the city, adding congestion and pollution to areas that could have been green pedestrian areas. The program asks if there exists a solution that has the same ambition and scale as the problem.

The last part of the book consists of three essays that hint at more general themes that the project is concerned with, the most important being the reintroduction of politics in the making of architecture and its potential capacity to form a different agenda for architecture and the city.