Austere shelter of wood and concrete looks out over Norwegian fjords

Rather than constituting an architectural typology, wooden huts immersed in nature represent a comforting imaginary, which city dwellers relive in fragments through the screens of their electronic devices. They are physical shelters for those who inhabit them and virtual asylums for those who dream of them while being locked in their private or collective metropolitan cage. The hut designed by Sanden+Hodnekvam Arkitekter coincides exactly with this stereotype: it is located miles away from the signs of anthropisation, in a rugged and steep site with a fjord view.

The project is based on the local manufacturing tradition and habits: “Norwegians like hiking and spending time outdoors. When we stop for a rest, this type of protected space is what we look for. In the cabin we were aiming for the same type of spatial quality, shelter and a feeling of seclusion,” says John Sanden. “Cabin at Rones comprises two levels and is adapted to the topography of the site. The small footprint reduces the impact on the landscape and preserve the vegetation as much as possible.” The Norwegian studio composes an elementary triangular volume of cross-laminated timber with a solid raw concrete base. Outside you can also find a gutter and other details in untreated copper, which will react to time by darkening. The interior too features a combination of wood and concrete – this time smooth and polished. The birch furniture shows its joints contributing to spread that sense of comfort, security, welcome and familiarity described by the term hygge, a Danish and Norwegian word meaning simple, austere and everyday happiness.