The Norwegian Wild Reindeer Pavilion sits on a spectacular site on the outskirts of Dovrefjell National Park at around 1250 meters above sea level, overlooking the mountain, Snøhetta. The main purpose of the 75m2 building is to provide shelter for school groups and visitors as mountain guides lecture about the unique wildlife and history of the Dovre Mountain plateau.

Dovrefjell is home to wild reindeer herds, musk oxen, arctic foxes and a variety of endemic botanical species. A long history filled with travellers, hunting traditions, mining and military activities have left their mark on this land. Today, modern tourism and recreation continue to shape the cultural landscape of this place. Dovrefjell also holds significant importance in the consciousness of Norway. National legends, myths, poetry, music, and pilgrimages celebrate the mystic, eternal, and grounded qualities of this robust place. The founding fathers of the Norwegian constitution are “agreed and faithful, until the fall of Dovre!”

Natural, cultural and mythical landscapes form the basis of the architectural idea. The building design is based on a contrast between a rigid outer shell and a soft organic-shaped inner core. A wooden interior is placed within a rectangular frame of raw steel and glass. The core is shaped like rock or ice is eroded by natural forces like wind and running water. Its shape creates a protected and warm gathering place, while still preserving visitor’s access to spectacular views.

Considerable emphasis is put on the quality and durability of materials so that the building can withstand the harsh climate. The shelter’s simple form and use of natural building materials reference local building traditions. And at the same time, new technologies will be utilized to bring modern efficiency to the fabrication process. The wood core will be manufactured using a large scale robotcontrolled milling machine based on digital 3D models.

Tverrfjellhytta is a robust building that refines local building traditions, provides a protected gathering place for the visitors and enriches the unique landscape of Dovrefjell.

The Tverrfjellhytta on Hjerkinn has been an exciting challenge for Lonbakken Mek. Verksted AS, and one we are proud to be a part of. The construction has a special structure and is built in a unique way.

Working with such a serious constructor as Norsk Villreinsenter, and prestigious architect and design office Snøhetta, required a humble, yet confident approach from our side. We started the construction work with the local carpenter company Prebygg, and the meetings with constructor and architects were both rewarding and interesting. Whatever challenge we encountered, we solved it by working together. Manager of Prebygg, Ole Traasdahl was at the construction site on a semi-daily basis, and followed the progress closely. The project was completed in May 2011.

The construction consists of 10mm steel plate on the concrete plate, the framing of HEA-beams and cladding both inside and outside of 10mm steel plate. The ceiling both inside and outside also consists of 10mm steelplate, with bearing of 400mm hollow core clabs. High demands were set towards the visible welds, and use of steel grinder were (if not prohibited) undesirable. The biggest challenge was undoubtedly to get the ceiling even without any deviation. Eventually this turned out highly satisfactory.

The surface treatment was left to Mother Earth herself, by letting the steel rust naturally. And as time has gone by, the red-brown color of the rust dominates more and more. On the latest welds a hydrochloric acid solution was used to fast-forward the corrosion process for the opening day. Steel quality of all materials are S355J2and NVE 36.

Tverrfjellet is a very exclusive and exotic area to be working and building in, and our assemblers saw muskox almost daily. Altogether the Tverrfjellhytta has been an especially interesting and positive job for us, and it's exciting to be part of a project that has received this much attention both in Norway and the rest of the world !

Visit the award winning viewpoint SNØHETTA at the roof of Norway - Dovrefjell, and learn about nature trough experience!

See Dovre at its best and experience nature, culture and architecture that has captivated thousands of visitors. You can walk the 1.5 km long gravel path to viewpoint SNØHETTA and experience the 10,000 year history of Dovre, where caribou recur as a common phenomena. You can also tour through Goat Mountain (about 7 km). See map at the bottom.