Blurring the line between indoors and outdoors, Norwegian architecture studio Snøhetta has created a quartet of wooden cabins that sit atop Norway’s Lysefjorden. Commissioned by local developer Tom Bjarte Norland and featuring pared-back interiors by Danish homewares brand Vipp, the minimalistic cabins are designed to be in harmony with nature and immerse hikers and visitors in the landscape.
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Known as Bolder Star Lodges, the four cabins — named Stylten, Myra, Stjerna, and Eldhuset — are located on the edge of Lysefjorden and utilise natural materials in combination with glass facades that allow nature in. Each cabin is perched on large concrete pillars to make the most of the expansive views. To complement the granite and slow-growing pine trees that dominate the site, the material palette is primarily composed of wood and concrete with aggregate from the site itself; with trees removed during construction reserved for use in other parts of the project.
The untreated red cedar used for the structure and cladding of the cabins was selected for its ability to grey over time, allowing it to blend in with the rocky landscape. Inside, oak wood is used throughout, with each cabin utilising a different treatment to establish a unique identity for each space. To reduce the impact on and disruption to the site, the structures were prefabricated and then placed on the concrete pillars by helicopter.
From the inside, each cabin is built with the view in mind, with a relatively open floor plan designed to maximise the outlook. The closest you can get to sleeping in the clouds, each cabin offers an uninterrupted view of the fjord and mountains. Each cabin is topped with an asymmetric roof punctuated by a skylight, the shape of which is the same in size and placement as the concrete base, creating the illusion that the cabins are tilted out to the fjord and thereby strengthening the sensation of weightlessness.
A series of sleek, understated steel bridges connect the cabins without imposing on the landscape. Lifted above the ground to minimise the footprint of the project, they’re equipped with dimmed, neutral lights that provide functionality without compromising views of the landscape. With the exception of electricity, the site is off the grid, utilising naturally sourced spring water sourced from a treatment plant under the parking lot.
Three of the four cabins are now complete and open for bookings from the 1st of February onwards.
Words by AR Staff
