Snøhetta’s new hotel on the cliffs of a fjord

Born from a collaboration with the entrepreneur Tom Bjarte Norland and the interior brand Vipp, the Bolder is the design hotel designed by Snøhetta composed of small pavilions, four so far, nestled on the cliffs of a Norwegian fjord. The project focuses on a fundamental idea: to bring wild nature into these small nests, generating a unique experience that triggers a strong sense of belonging to a broader ecosystem.

Sturdy concrete pillars lift the cabins off the ground, giving the impression of floating among the geological stratifications and sparse vegetation. The large windows are arranged to embrace the landscape at a maximum angle without interfering with neighboring units. The four little houses are also called Star Lodges due to the presence of a skylight that allows admiring the stars at night. The cabins are organized on two levels, a sleeping area with a bathroom on the lower floor and a living area with a kitchen on the upper floor, where the sensation of suspension becomes even more pronounced.

Snøhetta wanted to create warm and differentiated environments in the interiors of the cabins, using the same oak wood treated differently. Similarly, the marble and leather used in other interior finishes are declined in different colors to better dialogue with the landscape. The exteriors, instead, are cladded with untreated red cedar wood, destined to lose saturation over time and blend with the dominant shapes and colors. The materials resulting from the construction phases were reused as aggregates in the concrete, in the case of the granite, and gathered for subsequent uses in the case of the uprooted trees.