Bjørnli Haveby is a residential area at Løkken Verk, on the hill west of the city center. The houses were mainly built in the years 1915-1921.
Both the area and the buildings are worthy of preservation, and prioritized as a cultural environment through the Regional plan for cultural heritage in Sør-Trøndelag. Bjørnli is located about three kilometers northwest of the center of Løkken Verk. Løkken church is located at Bjørnli.
In 2008, Bjørnli Haveby was one of three projects that made it to the final round of the competition for the Adresseavisen building ethics prize. The jury's justification: "An example of particularly successful interaction between public facilitation and private commitment for the preservation and development of an entire living environment. Particularly commendable because the environment was created as part of the mining development around World War I, and tells an important part of the mining history at Løkken."
Background
Orkla Grube-Aktiebolag, the major employer in the valley, had discovered ore veins in 1913 and 1914 that ensured access to rich ore for the foreseeable future. In 1914 it was therefore decided to develop the mines for large-scale mining. In addition to the construction of new shafts and the expansion of existing facilities, more housing was needed, both for clerks and workers. It was decided to build a garden city at Bjørnlivannet, about three kilometers west of Løkken station. A separate company, A/S Meldalsskogen, was formed to buy the area for the garden city and other necessary properties for new construction around the mining facility at Løkken.
The actual zoning plan for Bjørnli was drawn up by chief engineer V.B. Lange, while architect Morten Anker Bachke was responsible for the design of "Torvet". Bachke also designed the different types of houses. The terrain at Bjørnli is hilly, and little terrain-related intervention has been made in connection with the development.
The houses
Bjørnli Haveby was built with housing for workers and foremen, stigere, associated with the mining operations at Løkken. Architect Anker Bachke designed several types of houses. The functionary houses were placed around a rectangular square.
They are partly vertically divided semi-detached houses and partly single-family villas (type B houses in the zoning plan guide). The workers' dwellings were also built as detached and semi-detached houses, but the standard of the workers' dwellings was much simpler and more sober, and the dwellings were small. As a result, many of them have been extended and altered since their construction. The foreman's houses around Torvet are the best preserved in the area.
Plans for a tramway
Bjørnli was intended to have a tram connection with the industrial area in Fagerlia. The route was laid as a loop from Fagerlia along the lakes in the area and back to Fagerlia. The tram plans were never implemented, but the route is still there and is used as a hiking trail. The route is to be preserved in accordance with the guidelines for "Consideration zone for the preservation of the Bjørnli cultural environment" in the 2011-2022 municipal land use plan for Meldal municipality.
In addition to the residential houses, a school, shop, fire station and assembly hall were built for the garden city.
The primary school and fire station were located at the eastern end of the square. The school was demolished in the 1960s. The fire station still stands (as of 2017), but has been converted into apartments and an assembly hall. The shooting house by Bjørnlivatnet was converted into a chapel in 1929.
Address:
Bjørnli, Norway