Nygårdstangen Utvikling—a consortium consisting of developer Olav Thon, building management firm EDG Property and construction company Rexir— has commissioned Denmark-based architects 3XN to design a masterplan proposal for the city of Bergen, Norway.

Bergen City has ambitious plans for itself as a Unesco World Heritage Site and, in response, 3XN has created an equally bold masterplan that makes a new arena the of epicentre it.

Despite its World Heritage status, the city’s central area is currently is seen by locals as a place of heavy traffic with little connectivity to the rest of the city. 3XN’s plan is to change hearts and minds with the arena acting as a modern-day Colosseum that also offers generous public spaces, with renderings showing green areas atop its planned buildings.

“In developing this new arena, we considered the characteristics of Bergen as it is now and envisioned how it can be in the future,” said Jan Ammundsen, senior partner and head of design at 3XN.

“In our design we have tried to solve the urban and infrastructural challenges by creating an arena in human scale using warm materials, taking the local climate into account. We will change the area from a place for cars to a place for people.”

The plans connect the inner city with the coastal waterfront and provide a destination for concerts, sport and cultural events. The new neighbourhood development in the city centre would also include a hotel, cinema, housing and a police school.