KAYAVISION
— Lagmannsholmen to the people
By Jon Bjørgum, urban developer in Kristiansand
I usually say that Kristiansand has always been fond of summer and sun, but in the last five years we have learned to shine all year round. When I look out over Lagmannsholmen, I feel the same tingling feeling as when we - Narve, Anders, Anstein, Tor-Olav and I - outlined the hairy KAYA vision together for the very first time: Imagine if...
Imagine if the old container dock could become Sørlandet's number one meeting place. Imagine if we could give our kids a universe of knowledge and play - without ticket prices that sting. Imagine if we could lure entrepreneurs, researchers and global conferences to Kristiansand in mid-February, without anyone needing a winter jacket inside.
Now imagine if it became that way.
Just look what has happened to our wonderful city...
The Everyday City
Monday morning at 7:45: El ferry “kaya 2” docks at Kaya pier after 12 minutes from Kjevik. Conference attendees walk dry-shod straight into the Expo glass street as commuters trudge across the footbridge to the train station. Rush hour traffic on the E18? We hardly notice it anymore - 38% of downtown traffic has shifted to collective sea and bicycle express.
11:30am: I grab lunch at the Innovation Hub. The long table, as usual, is full of UIA students, British college entrepreneurs, a couple of German “green tech” investors - and a bunch of well-grown ladies who have found that the Hub cantina has the best fish soup in town. Contrast was never an end in itself, but it has become our greatest strength: everyone feels ownership of KAYA.
4:15pm: As the working day slips over into this afternoon, the pier changes pace. Families pick up freshly baked focaccia from the KRUTT bakery, commuters bring coffee to el ferga, a street musician plays saxophone under the glass roof, while the paddle board gang prepares the trays for the fixed afternoon walk.
Friday night: You usually find me in the KAYA park. Sometimes there are nine different food trucks in a row; other times chamber pop from UIAgder fills the air - always crowded. When the sun sets behind Odderøya, the LED ceiling above the multiarena lights up like a lantern, and people move, talk together and share moments - they don't scroll.
Sunday morning: People of all ages stroll the new promenade; grandparents sit on benches with thermoses and smile. The toddlers play in the park, the youth skid around the pumptrack trail. There is a pulse even in February - fresh sea air mixes with the aroma of hot cocoa from the thermos.
Scarworking life
In 2025, we talked about two major challenges: jobs for young people - and outplacement among those who fell outside the skills race. KAYA has responded to both:
- 10,800 new jobs are either directly linked to the destination or spinoff companies in our city and the whole of the South.
- Over 40% of the positions do not require higher formal education; many of them are filled by former unemployed people who today call themselves event technicians, hosting hosts or “esports educators”.
- We have certified 6,500 craftsmen for the offshore wind industry through short gunpowder courses in VISILAB.
The greatest joy? Young people who previously did not envisage a future here at home send me messages from their own start-ups in the Innovation Hub - and ask if I have time for a coffee. I always have.
Congress and Conference City
I still picture the worn note where we rammed up our dreams: “European Tech Summit, World Congress of Orthopedics, Nordic e-Sport Convention... what if?” Today, all three -- plus many more -- have been whittled off, and the waiting list is even longer. In just five years, Kristiansand has gone from being a secluded choice in the congress world to becoming Scandinavia's most sought-after meeting city.
The multi-arena KAYA EXPO handles everything from intimate gatherings of 300 people to giant congresses with 18,000 participants, without buses, traffic chaos or unnecessary emissions. EXPO alone fills the city's hotels while allowing people to flow seamlessly between tech conferences, creative industry parties, e sports finals and research symposia. European industry magazines have dubbed us “The Green Nordic Compact Convention Capital” — a title we carry with a good portion of Southern pride.
Cultural life
Taylor Swift chose KAYA EXPO as the only Scandinavian indoor venue on her Still Around '33 tour was the moment when we realized that ambition held water. Since then, we've welcomed world stars, hosted the European Handball Championship, hosted Scandinavia's first international e-sport Masters — and, my personal favorite: the orienteering World Cup sprint, from the fairground floor to Baneheia.
And then there's the Arcadium. What started as an idea of an e-sports centre has, in close collaboration with world-leading e-sports studies at UiA, grown to become the European beacon for digital competition, AI and game development.
But the highlight? Every Tuesday afternoon when neighborhood schools fill the KRUTT experience center with fifth graders discussing climate, building mini windmills and exposing deepfakes in the Fake News lab. That's when I know that the enthusiasm has really taken root — and that the KAYA dream has become something bigger than all of us.
The City and the People
- House prices in Kvadraturen have risen moderately, but the living conditions gap between East and West has shrunk from 11 to 6 percentage points.
- 14,000 more people walk or cycle daily than before KAYA opened - not because they have to, but because the waterfront promenade has become the city's favourite artery.
- No one talks about the “dead” winter season anymore. Hotel occupancy is up 78% in January, the municipality has received an extra 700 million in annual tax revenue, and the cultural budget has increased without raising taxes.
What did we learn?
1. Vision first. Capital follows when the idea solves societal needs and ignites a spark in people.
2. Sustainability must be concrete. El ferga, recycled steel and energy-positive Expo are not trappings; they are competitive advantages.
3. No one owns the success alone. When the municipality contributes and foundations, business and volunteering share both the risks and joys, the project can withstand headwinds. Incredible over 120 partners, big and small, have helped make KAYA possible.
4th. Make room for the unexpected. From day one, we invited everyone who had great ideas into the KAYA vision — which has led to amazing concepts we could never have foreseen that have become an important part of KAYA.
5. Listen to skeptics but overcome skepticism It was incredibly important to get everyone away from the “We've tried this before - it won't work” mentality when it was pointed out to Sørlandshallen, Kunnskapsparken, etc., and rather support the “Yes, we can do this - if we find solutions all the way”. It turned out to be absolutely correct and important mentalityFive years into operation people ask if I am satisfied.
I answer as I did in 2025: we are on target when Sørlandsunge says “I want to stay here, because exciting things happen here all year round”.
Today, I hear that phrase more often than I hear seagull screams on the fishing pier. Then I am satisfied - a proud and dignified end to my lifelong commitment to urban development and Kristiansand.
MVH
Jon Bjorgum
A look back from — June 2038
Kristiansand has always been fond of summer and sun, but in the last five years we have learned to shine all year round. When I look out over Lagmannsholmen, I feel the same tingling feeling as when we — Narve, Anders, Anstein, Tor-Olav and I — outlined the hairy vision of KAYA for the very first time: Imagine if...
Imagine if the old container dock could become Sørlandet's number one meeting place. Imagine if we could give our kids a gathering place for knowledge, play, e-sports and entertainment - without ticket prices that sting. Imagine if we could lure entrepreneurs, researchers, international artists and global conferences to Kristiansand in mid-February, without them having to buy a waterproof bubble jacket.
And imagine... we never asked for municipal funds. KAYA is realized by private actors and foundations who saw the potential in the vision - and what opportunities it represented. They chose to bet, because they understood what this could mean for the city, the region and the future. And just look what has happened!!
Here's my Monday at KAYA -anno 2038
KAYAVISION
7:45 a.m.:
Monday morning at 7:45: El ferry “kaya 2” docks at Kaya pier after 12 minutes from Kjevik. Conference attendees walk dry-shod straight into the Expo glass street as commuters trudge across the footbridge to the train station. Rush hour traffic on the E18? We hardly notice it anymore - 38% of downtown traffic has shifted to collective sea and bicycle express.
KAYAVISION
11:30 a.m.
I'll have lunch at the Innovation Hub. The long table, as usual, is full of UIA students, British college entrepreneurs, a couple of German “green tech” investors - and a bunch of well-grown ladies who have found that the Hub cantina has the best fish soup in town. Contrast was never an end in itself, but it has become our greatest strength: everyone feels ownership of KAYA.everyone feel at home at KAYA.
KAYAVISION
4:15 p.m.:
As the workday slips over into the afternoon, the pier shifts pace. Families pick up freshly baked focaccia from KAYA's bakery, commuters bring coffee to the electric ferry, a musician plays saxophone under the glass ceiling, children play in the “central park” and the paddleboard gang heads out into the sea gap on their regular afternoon tour. People of all ages stroll the new promenade; grandparents sit on benches with thermoses and smile. The toddlers play in the park, the youngsters slide around the pump track. There is pulse even on a Monday afternoon - fresh sea air mixes with the aroma of hot cocoa from the thermos.
KAYAVISION
Friday night:
After work, I take a trip over to the park at KAYA. Sometimes it is full of various food‑trucks; today there is a group from UiA playing chamber pop. The park is always full of life and stir. When the sun sets behind Odderøya, the LED roof over KAYA lights up like a lantern. KAYA is a natural gathering place, whether you're there for a beer or to meet the running group., and people move, talk together and share moments — they don't scroll.
Working life
In 2025, we talked about two major challenges: jobs for young people - and outplacement among those who fell outside the skills race. KAYA has responded to both:
Thousands new jobs are either directly affiliated with the destination or spinoff businesses in our city and throughout the South.
Over 40% of the positions do not require higher formal education; many of them are filled by formerly unemployed people who today call themselves event technicians, hosting hosts or “esports educators”.
We have certified tusenvis av håndverkere fått sertifiseringen som åpner dørene til en av verdens mest spennende og bærekraftige næringer.
Young people who previously did not envisage a future here at home in Kristiansand are suddenly back. As startup founders with an office in our accelerator at KAYA, they now send me messages asking if I have time for a coffee. Something I always have, of course!
KAYAVISION
Congress and Conference City
I still remember the extremely ambitious list we made in 2025: “European Tech Summit, World Congress of Orthopedics, Nordic e-Sport Convention... what if?” Today, all three -- plus many more -- have been whittled off, and the waiting list is even longer. In just five years, Kristiansand has gone from being a secluded choice in the congress world to becoming Scandinavia's most sought-after conference city.
When Taylor Swift chose
KAYA EXPO as the only Scandinavian indoor arena Still Around '35 Tour, we could finally admit to ourselves that there was, in fact, not just megalomania behind this vision. We've welcomed world stars, hosted the European handball championships, and, my personal favourite: orienteing‑World Cup sprint.
And then there's the Arcadium
What started as an idea of an e-sports centre has, in close collaboration with world-leading e‑sports studios at UiA, grown into a European beacon for digital competition, AI and game development.
The City and the People
KRUTT er Nordens nye edutainment-univers – et sted der vitenskap, teknologi, kunst og lek smelter sammen til opplevelser som fenger både barn, unge og voksne.
For meg har KRUTT aldri bare vært en attraksjon, men en opplevelsesrevolusjon der vitenskap, teknologi, kunst og lek smelter sammen til noe jeg aldri har sett maken til. Her kan besøkende gå fra å styre en virtuell romferd til å utforske havets dyp, fra å bygge egne oppfinnelser i et kreativt verksted til å bli dratt inn i storslåtte interaktive show som setter fantasien i sving.
KRUTT er blitt en magnet for turister, familier, skoler og kunnskapsreisende fra hele Norden – et sted som inspirerer morgendagens forskere, skapere og problemløsere. Dette er ikke bare underholdning – det er et møte med ideer som kan forme fremtiden.
Høydepunktet for meg? Hver tirsdag ettermiddag når skoler fra nabokommunene fyller opplevelsessenteret KRUTT med femteklassinger som diskuterer klima, bygger mini-vindmøller og avslører deepfakes i Fake News-labben. Det er da jeg kjenner at entusiasmen virkelig har slått rot – og at KAYA-drømmen har blitt noe større enn oss alle.
Byen og folkene
KAYA forandret ikke bare bybildet – den forandret hverdagen. Jeg har sett levekårsgapet mellom øst og vest krympe, flere bosette seg, bruke og leve midt i byen, og tusenvis få en grunn til å bli. Enda flere har fått en grunn til å flytte hit. Havnepromenaden har blitt Kristiansands naturlige hovedpulsåre – fylt av mennesker som går, løper og lever året rundt.
Der det før var mørke hotellrom og tomme gater i januar, ser jeg nå konferanser, konserter og kulturopplevelser i fullt tempo. Hotellene er fulle selv i årets kaldeste måneder, kulturlivet blomstrer – og skatteinntekter i hundremillionersklassen følger etter. Gater som tidligere lå stille etter jul, pulserer nå av liv og lys.
Men det viktigste, slik jeg opplever det, lar seg ikke måle i skatteinntekter eller budsjetter. Det handler om noe dypere – en ny stolthet over byen vår. En følelse av tilhørighet. Av å være en del av noe levende. For det er ikke bare kulturen som spirer – det gjør også idéene.
KAYA har blitt en drivkraft for innovasjon, og unge gründere velger å starte sine selskaper her – i tilknytning til KAYA Innovation Hub. Og midt i dette miljøet, på Lagmannsholmen, har jeg vært vitne til at regionens aller første teknologibaserte enhjørning har vokst frem. Det er suksess, det!
I dag hører jeg folk snakke om Kristiansand med stolthet og glød i stemmen – og jeg skjønner dem godt.
What did we learn?
1. Vision first
Capital follows when the idea solves societal needs and ignites a spark in people
2. Sustainability must be concrete
El ferga, recycled steel and energy-positive Expo are not trappings; they are competitive advantages.
3. No one owns success alone
When the municipality contributes and foundations, business and volunteering share both the risks and joys, the project can withstand headwinds. Incredible over 120 partners, big and small, have helped make KAYA possible.
4th. Make room for the unexpected
From day one, we invited everyone who had great ideas into the KAYA vision — which has led to amazing concepts we could never have foreseen that have become an important part of KAYA.
5. Listen to Skeptics but Overcome Skepticism
It was incredibly important to get everyone away from the “We've tried this before - it won't work” mentality when it was pointed out to Sørlandshallen, Kunnskapsparken, etc., and rather support the “Yes, we can do this - if we find solutions all the way”. It turned out to be absolutely correct and important mentalityFive years into operation people ask if I am satisfied.
I answer as I did in 2025: we are on target when Sørlandsunge says “I want to stay here, because exciting things happen here all year round”.
Today, I hear that phrase more often than I hear seagull screams on the fishing pier. Then I am satisfied - a proud and dignified end to my lifelong commitment to urban development and Kristiansand.
Who we are
The Kaya vision has been developed by the initiators Narve Ellefsen (Concept Agency), Anders Iglebekk (Twelfth Man), Tor Olav Holen, Anstein Fidje and Jon Bjørgum (Christiansholm). We represent a wide range of expertise — from real estate and business development to culture, tourism and technology — and share a common ambition: To give Lagmannsholmen new life and make Kristiansand a dynamic year-round destination.Narve Ellefsen (Konseptbyrået), Anders Iglebekk (Tolvte Mann), Tor Olav Holen, Anstein Fidje og Jon Bjørgum (Christiansholm). Sammen representerer vi et bredt spekter av kompetanse – fra kreativ konseptutvikling og kulturproduksjon til eiendomsutvikling, forretningsstrategi, teknologi og reiseliv.
Idéen tok form da Narve og Anders tok kontakt med Christiansholm med ambisiøse tanker om både midlertidige og langsiktige muligheter for Lagmannsholmen. Det som begynte som en spontan og inspirerende idéutveksling, ble raskt til et kraftfullt samarbeid med én tydelig ambisjon: å skape en ny motor for opplevelser, næringsutvikling og innovasjon – og å løfte Kristiansand til en ledende helårsdestinasjon i Norden. Dette samarbeidet ble senere formalisert gjennom etableringen av KRS Utvikling AS, som i dag fungerer som den samlende kraften bak KAYA-visjonen og driver utviklingen fremover i nært samarbeid med nøkkelaktører og støttespillere fra hele regionen.
Vi tror sterkt på at Lagmannsholmen kan bli en nøkkelbrikke i Kristiansands fremtid – et levende knutepunkt for opplevelser, innovasjon, verdiskaping og fremtidens arbeidsplasser. KAYA-visjonen samler krefter fra hele regionen, og er forankret i ønsket om å skape både økonomiske og sosiale ringvirkninger som vil merkes i generasjoner.
Contact us:
KAYA destinasjoner
La oss presentere destinasjonene som til sammen utgjør KAYA-visjonen – hver med sin egen karakter og rolle i å skape et levende Kristiansand året rundt. Her finner du også The Unexpected – vår åpne invitasjon til deg om å komme med idéer og innspill som kan forme KAYA videre.
Videre kan du lese om KAYA Innovation Hub – et av hovedelementene i hele visjonen, og en kraftstasjon for teknologi, bærekraft og entreprenørskap som skal sette Kristiansand på det internasjonale innovasjonskartet.
KAYA EXPO
Norway's largest multi-arena
Everything from intimate professional gatherings to international congresses and grand concerts is handled here — without traffic chaos, buses or unnecessary emissions. With the capacity to gather tens of thousands of people in one and the same arena, KAYA EXPO creates space for the largest and the most specialized — in one and the same structure.
Participants flow seamlessly between professional sessions, performing arts, e-sports finals, sports events and industry parties - right in the city, in the middle of it all.
EXPO does something more than arrange -- it enables. It fills hotels, restaurants and city spaces throughout the year. It brings new energy to the city centre, creates jobs and provides space for knowledge sharing, collaboration and cultural diversity.
Here, business, academia, culture and the public gather in one and the same arena — making Kristiansand a year-round destination with power, capacity and character.
KAYA KRUTT
Edutainment Center
KAYA KRUTT is a spectacular edutainment center that ignites the spark in children, adolescents and adults alike. Here, learning and entertainment meet in a vibrant mix of science, technology, energy and human exploration — in a center built for curiosity, experimentation and experience.
KRUTT provides Kristiansand with an exceptional year-round offer, where families, school classes, tourists and professional communities get engaging experiences — from interactive installations to large exhibitions and immersive universes. With partners such as universities, research communities and the energy sector, the public is closely connected to the solutions of the future.
At the same time, KRUTT creates huge ripple effects for the city — with new jobs, high visitor value and strong attractiveness outside the summer season. At the heart of knowledge dissemination is sustainability: both as a theme, method and foundation. KAYA KRUTT makes science an experience — and Kristiansand a centre for learning throughout the Nordic region.
ARCADUIM E-SPORT FLASHLIGHT
The Nordic region's largest e-sports, Ki and entertainment centre
ARCADIUM unites technology, entertainment and adventure in one bold and forward-thinking destination. Here, e-sports, gaming, VR, creativity and digital culture meet in a center that puts Kristiansand on the map as the Nordic capital of digital entertainment.
With tournaments, exhibitions, competitions, development environments and year-round audience experiences, ARCADIUM fills the city with new traffic and new audiences - giving young people and young adults a natural reason to travel, participate and contribute. The arena will also be a springboard for new Norwegian game development and innovation in artificial intelligence and technology.
ARCADIUM is not just a center for entertainment — it is a catalyst for future value creation. With high visitor rates, strong links to business and close cooperation with education and R&D, new growth and pride are created — in the middle of the city, in the middle of development.
KAYA SPA
Europe's most sustainable seaside spa
KAYA SPA will be one of the Nordic region's most complete and exclusive spa experiences. Here, Scandinavian tranquility is combined with international quality in a spa and wellness centre that offers everything from hot baths and saunas to treatments, exercise and total relaxation — all year round.
The spa is as much an attraction for visitors as an everyday space for residents. It creates a new use of the city out of season, fills the hotels with new guests, and gives Kristiansand an identity as a wellness destination — not only for holidays, but also for health, tranquility and everyday luxury.
Inspired by leading spa concepts in Europe and with sustainable operations at its heart, KAYA SPA becomes a symbol of the new direction of urban development: where taking care of oneself and the environment go hand in hand. A respite -- in the middle of the future.
KAYA HOTEL - GREEN HOTELS
Norway's largest conference and family hotel by the sea
KAYA HOTEL will be Kristiansand's largest and most modern conference and family hotel — tailored for year-round operation and directly affiliated with KAYA EXPO. With over 500 rooms and a multitude of meeting spaces, restaurants and facilities, the hotel will become an important part of the city's new centre of gravity.
The hotel is designed to cater to the needs of business travellers, holidaymakers, conference attendees and families — all year round. With its central location and green operation, the hotel contributes to a more sustainable tourism life, making it easy for visitors to combine work, experiences and relaxation without burdening the city with undue transport.
KAYA - The Unexpected
Hva er din KAYA drøm?
KAYA handler ikke bare om å bygge det vi allerede vet vi trenger – men om å skape det vi ennå ikke har forestilt oss. De overraskende møtene. De uventede opplevelsene. Det som gjør at du blir værende litt lenger enn planlagt – og som får deg til å fortelle om det i lang tid etterpå.Nå inviterer vi deg til å være med å forme The Unexpected.
Hvilken destinasjon, opplevelse eller idé skulle du ønske fantes i Kristiansand? Hva er det vi ennå ikke har tenkt på – men som du mener ville gjort KAYA til et sted man bare må oppleve?
Del din idé i forslagskassen under – kanskje blir nettopp ditt forslag en del av fremtidens KAYA.
Suggestion box
Bla gjennom forslag:
KAYA
Innovation HUB
Kristiansand - European Capital of Innovation 2038
KAYA Innovation Hub – Where Ideas Shape the Future
Midt i hjertet av Kristiansand vokser en møteplass frem – et dynamisk kraftsenter der teknologi, bærekraft, kultur og entreprenørskap smelter sammen. KAYA Innovation Hub fungerer som en katalysator for endring, der idéer, talenter og bransjer møtes og sammen former en ny fremtid.
Her blir visjoner virkelighet, hvor den neste store energiløsningen kan utvikles parallelt med banebrytende AI-prosjekter og nye internasjonale kultur- og reiselivssatsinger. Atmosfæren preges av nysgjerrighet, mot og samarbeid – et sted der alt føles mulig.
Knutepunktet samler gründere, forskere, investorer, kreative miljøer og etablerte selskaper som ønsker å utfordre grenser og skape noe som virkelig betyr noe. Det er for dem som vil mer enn å følge utviklingen – de som vil drive den fremover.
De planlagte innovasjonssentrene på Lagmannsholmen i Kristiansand, samlet under navnet KAYA Innovation Hub, skal posisjonere Kristiansand 2.0 som et ledende senter for teknologisk, bærekraftig, kulturell og reiselivsrettet innovasjon. Vårt uttalte mål er å bli Europeisk Innovasjons Hovedstad innen 2038.
En magnet for bedrifter og kompetanse:
Satsingen er strategisk utviklet for å tiltrekke seg både nasjonale og internasjonale aktører. Med toppmoderne fasiliteter, sterke globale forbindelser og et økosystem som fremmer kreativitet og nyskaping, fremstår Kristiansand 2.0 som et naturlig valg for selskaper som søker vekst, innflytelse og global relevans.
Der de neste norske unicorns blir født:
KAYA Innovation Hub skal være et fyrtårn for ambisiøse gründere og vekstselskaper med globale ambisjoner. Her kobles visjonære entreprenører med internasjonal kapital, strategiske investorer og verdensledende kompetanse. Målet er å bygge Norges neste bølge av Unicorns, milliardbedrifter – selskaper som ikke bare skaper verdier for sine eiere, men som setter Norge på kartet som en drivkraft for innovasjon, bærekraft og teknologisk lederskap.
KAYA Innovation Hub er ikke bare et svar på morgendagens behov – det er en invitasjon til å være med å skape fremtiden.
KAYA Podcast
I KAYA Podcast møter du både visjonærene som driver prosjektet fremover – og kritikerne som stiller de vanskelige spørsmålene. Gjennom åpne samtaler med kulturaktører, næringsliv, politikere og engasjerte innbyggere får du innblikk i idéene, drømmene og diskusjonene som former KAYA-visjonen. Podkasten handler ikke bare om hva vi bygger, men om hvorfor – og hvordan vi sammen kan skape en levende og bærekraftig by for fremtiden.
KAYA in the media
KAYA-visjonen vekker oppmerksomhet. Her samler vi artikler, intervjuer og reportasjer fra pressen som viser hvordan prosjektet utvikler seg – og hvorfor det kan få betydning langt utover Kristiansand.
VISJONS STUDIE
av C.F. MØLLER ARCHITECTS
Et Studie av fremtidens Lagmannsholmen
Dokumentet du finner nederst her er en arkitektstudie – ikke en ferdig plan, men et utgangspunkt for diskusjon.
C.F. Møller Architects – et av Nordens mest anerkjente arkitektkontorer – står bak studien. De står blandt annet bak prosjekter som Bergen ByArena, Avicii Arena (Globen) og Strawberry MultiArena i Stockholm, og er kjent for å forvandle komplekse områder til levende byrom.
I denne studien finner du ikke ferdige byggeplaner, men visuelle skisser og ideer. Den er laget for å vise at det er mulig om vi i Kristiansand vil, og ikke minst for å inspirere, engasjere og starte en samtale – et første steg i å forme Kristiansands fremtid sammen.
Se hele C.F. MØLLER STUDIE her: CF_MOLLER_Studie_2025