HENT Signs Contract Worth About 2.8 Billion Kroner to Build NRK’s New Oslo Headquarters
Key Facts
HENT, a subsidiary of Sentia, signed a contract on November 6 with Norwegian broadcaster NRK to build the second phase of its new headquarters in the Normannsløkka area of Oslo’s Ensjø district. The contract is worth about 2.8 billion Norwegian kroner, excluding VAT, according to a Sentia announcement published the same day. The agreement comes as the project moves from development and planning to construction. The phase covers a building with a total area of 53,500 square meters, including studios, production facilities, offices and public areas. The contract gives HENT a role in a project that combines the needs of a major media facility with the constraints of an urban site near transport lines.
The contract is a design-and-build agreement based on a collaboration model between HENT and NRK. The two parties have worked together on the first phase since April 2025, and that phase was completed before the move to construction. Sentia said the project had developed over the 18 months before the announcement through open collaboration with NRK and its partners. Sentia Chief Executive Jan Jahren described the process, saying: "We have developed the project over the past 18 months through open collaboration with NRK and our partners." The new agreement therefore builds on a working relationship that preceded the signing of the second-phase contract, rather than marking the start of cooperation between the parties.
The new headquarters marks a change from NRK’s facilities in Marienlyst, which the broadcaster says are no longer suited to the needs of a modern media organization. According to NRK’s project information, construction in Marienlyst began in 1938, and the broadcaster moved to the site in 1950. NRK says the new headquarters is intended to support its public-service mission. At Normannsløkka, the plans include a ground-floor cafe open to the public, alongside leasable space. The project also includes more than 600 bicycle parking spaces, with no car parking for the broadcaster’s employees, according to project information cited by FutureBuilt from NRK.
Construction faces requirements linked to the project site and its climate goals. The site is close to rail and metro lines, and Sentia said this proximity imposes specific requirements on the execution of the work. The project is a candidate to become a pilot under the FutureBuilt program, which focuses on climate-friendly buildings with high architectural quality. The program requires greenhouse gas emissions to be reduced by levels more stringent than those required for conventional buildings. These requirements add to the building’s functions and size as factors to be taken into account during construction.
The contract signing followed a decision by NRK’s board on October 19 authorizing the broadcaster to enter into a construction contract. FutureBuilt said the board considered the project’s finances and risks, as well as the need for a modern headquarters, before making the decision. At the time, NRK’s project director said the broadcaster looked forward to concluding negotiations with the contractor before signing the implementation agreement, and described the project as on schedule and within budget. HENT’s signing with NRK followed, with Sentia announcing that the project was now moving into the construction phase. The plan targets completion in December 2029, according to Sentia’s announcement.
HENT’s selection for the project followed a competitive process involving qualified bidders, after which NRK chose it as main contractor, the company said. The current contract combines design and construction under the collaboration model the parties used in the first phase. The end goal is a headquarters with studios, production facilities, offices and public areas within the stated area. The plans add facilities open to the public and leasable space to the building’s institutional uses. The announced completion date remains December 2029.