Malangen peninsula is an hour´s drive south of Tromsø in Northern Norway. The site is positioned on a ridge rising from the fiord below and overlooks a natural opening in the forest.
The retreat is laid out east to west effectively shielding the opening in the forest, which is only discovered once you enter through the large oak sliding door from the outside courtyard. The clients are a family with small children, and also wanted this place to give room for invitation of the larger family and friends. The conceptual layout was conceived as several individual volumes connected via in-between spaces and a central winter garden, placed on a natural shelf in the terrain. The organisation provides both privacy and room for several activities at the same time. It also reduces energy needed for heating in the cold climate, as various rooms and activities will require different temperatures.
The central winter garden, with fireplace and outdoor kitchen, function as the entrance to the building. From here the retreat opens up to the natural clearing in the forest and from here you enter into either the main building or the annexe. Each group of rooms are done as separate volumes to achieve an additional layer of privacy, but also to enhance the room´s contact to the clearing in the forest and the contact to the outdoors in the transition spaces in between. A few steps lead down to the open space kitchen and living room set low in the terrain and overlooking the fiord and the afternoon sun to the west. A dedicated exit from the kitchen lead to the south-facing outdoor area where the family enjoy their dinners on warm summer days. The separation into volumes seek to emphasize the transition between spaces and activities and tell a story of everyday journeys.
The volumes are all made in wood with the exterior cladding (both indoors and outdoors) in cedar panel which was treated with iron sulfate and kept outside for months before assembly to achieve an even patina regardless of being outdoors or indoors. The interior surfaces are mainly in knot free oak to achieve a warmer contrast to the outside of the volumes. The wooden volumes are all slightly elevated in relation to the in-between spaces. All the in-between spaces have a concrete floor to emphasize that these spaces relate to the terrain and the outdoors in a different manner. The ceilings in these spaces are all made of oak slats that through the treatment with iron sulfate turn naturally black because of the high content of tannin. The airy and black ceilings retreat from the visual connection to the outside, while contrasting the visually cold of the outdoors and providing a softer acoustics at the same time. The sauna is only separated from the outside by a large frameless glass, underlining the secluded privacy of the clearing in the forest, the interiors custom designed in cedar.
A major part of the interiors such as the dining table, dining bench, beds, wardrobes, the fireplace and sliding door in the wintergarden, etc, are custom designed by Stinessen.
Material Used :
MAIN EXTERNAL MATERIALS
1. Exterior wooden panelling in cedar – treated with iron sulfate – supplier Svenneby Sag ogHøvleri
2. Exterior wooden slats in oak – treated with iron sulfate – supplier Svenneby Sag ogHøvleri
3. Structured glazing by Wicona, glass delivery by Alutec
MAIN INTERIOR MATERIALS
1. Exterior wooden panelling in cedar – treated with iron sulfate – supplier Svenneby Sag ogHøvleri
2. Interior knot-free panelling (floor, walls and ceiling) in untreated oak – supplier Svenneby Sag ogHøvleri
3. Interior ceiling living room and in-between spaces in slats of oak – treated with iron sulfate – supplier Svenneby Sag ogHøvleri
4. Concrete floors in living room area and in-between spaces.
5. Concrete walls in living room area
IN-BUILT FURNISHING DESIGNED BY STINESSEN
1. Dining table in oak – produced by Masterworks
2. Bench by dining table in oak - carpenter
3. Bench in hall made in oak - carpenter
4. Various shelves and wardrobes – produced by Masterworks/Kurt Bühler
5. Sauna in cedar – produced by Masterworks
6. Beds – produced by Masterworks
7. Outdoors sliding door in oak – produced by Masterworks
8. Doors for storage building, garage etc in oak – produced by Masterworks
9. Free-standing kitchen island in oak – produced by Masterworks
10. Fireplace in wintergarden
PRODUCTS
1. Lighting by Kreon, Bega and LZF – delivered by Expo Nova – lighting design by Expo Nova/Stinessen
2. Kitchen by Varenna – delivered by Expo Nova
3. Sofa and furniture by Cassina – delivered by Expo Nova
4. Fireplace by Brunner
5. Kitchen appliances by Gaggenau – delivered by Expo Nova
6. Kitchen island in wintergarden by Röshults
