The cabin has a unique status in Norway. It's an important part of the life of many people, for many a symbol of relaxation, access to nature, and family history. About halv of Norwegian households have access to a cabin, and this March, 9% of households were considering to buy one. The development of new cabins is rapidly expanding, with their quantity, size and price increasing every year. Production, use and transport related to these cabins make up a considerable part of Norway's greenhouse gass emissions. The cabins and their infrastructure cause irreversible interventions to the surrounding landscape.
Utilising "Planet Centric Design", working with combinations of ecological, social and technical systems towards sustainable solutions, we set out exploring these problems.
Our goal was a cabin that could be produced, assembled, used, disassembled and reused, without damaging the climate or the landscape. Inspired by traditional Norwegian timber construction, Jean Prouvé's modular houses, and the modern phenomena of "relocatable architecture", we set out to define a new way of living in nature.
Our concept is based on a plot of land owned by the client, a humble but interesting forest between the client's farm and the main road. We wanted to leave the forest fairly untouched, exploring solutions for the basic problem: "How do we utilise nature without damaging it?".
We have organized the cabins into "clusters", leaving important parts of the forest uninterrupted, to protect the local biodiversity and to encourage meaningful social interactions between the residents. At the entrance of the cabin area is one main building, where the residents can get water, rent sports equipment, etc.
We have designed a modular system for cabin construction, based on prefabricated timber logs, specifically tailored to each cabin's location. The starting point is the landscape, which the size and floor plan is adjusted for. The rooms are put together like boxes floating over the terrain, combined into one lafted structure.
The shape of the logs are based on a standard length of 0.7 meters, a square cross section, and a number of predefined joints. These simple building blocks allow for an infinite number of combinations, making sure each cabin can be adjusted to the local terrain. Rocks or adjustable metal feet lift the cabin from the ground, protecting the timber from water damage, while minimally deforming the terrain.
This method requires presise planning, but allows great freedom of form, minimal alterations to the landscape, and a potentially climate neutral lifespan. The construction is visible from inside and outside, showing how the materials are used and how the shape follows the underlying terrain. The cabins are small in size, with effective solutions for utilising the area inside, such as sliding doors, flexible storage, and possible seating in the window frames.
Each cabin is equipped with solar panels, one wood stove, shower, toilet, and a simple kitchen. The users must carry their own water, they can plant and harvest vegetables from the neighbouring farm, and all their electric energy comes directly from the sun. Our concept is a reminder of the value and vulnerability of nature. By basing the cabins on simple, sustainable extraction of resources, we hope to inspire awareness about the nature of consumption.
This project is a message to the Norwegian cabin culture. We view the modern cabin as a symbol of abundance and short-sightedness, but also a useful platform to showcase new attitudes. We want to inspire sustainable living for individuals and society.
This is a short summary of our work. The original report includes extensive research, analysis of sustainability, strategies for marketing, and much more, and can be provided on request.
