Approximately one hour away from Oslo and on the Oslo fjord, this cabin for use all year is carefully placed on naturally occurring ledges in the steep terrain that surrounds. Designed by Jon Danielsen Aarhus, the cabin appears low and hidden from the arrival side and then opens up towards views on the sea. The driving force behind this sensitive approach was the client's desire to retain the site's existing bedrock and not alter the landscape with dynamite or any levelling.
Further inspiration was drawn from a small existing cabin on the site. The small building influenced not only how to situate the new cabin in the landscape but also its building colour, roof angle and overall form. The old cabin remains part of the site, integrated and in relationship to the new building. The two are connected with a door and share a sheltered outdoor area between them.
The new cabin includes a large kitchen/living room plus additonal small living area, 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom and a large loft for guests. A new terrace on the southwestern side of the cabin allows for additional exterior amenity. A dramatic bridge running along the west facade connects this new outdoor space back to the sheltered exterior space between the new and existing buildings.
The cabin is clad with a type of Norwegian barn cladding. Vertical boards made of spruce with a rectangular section are affixed to the exterior with a generous spacing left between the boards. The spacing traditionally allows for ventilation to flow through the barn and the dry stored hay. In this modern context, the gaps allow for all vents for natural ventilation to be hidden behind the cladding.
