‘Buttonhole’ cabin is one with the rocks
Tiny Norwegian holiday spot makes most of three floors and rooftop for coastline view
There’s getting into nature and then there’s becoming one with it.
That’s what the architect behind the award-winning design of Cabin Knapphullet achieved with a stunning, understated cabin in the rocks along Norway’s coastline. Knapphullet is a small annex to a family holiday home in Sandefjord, a coastal town 120 kilometres south of Oslo, and accessible only by boat or footpath through a wetland.
Measuring just 322 square feet — Knapphullet means “buttonhole” in Norwegian — it expands vertically over four levels, including the roof. The space contains a basement, an open living space above that with a small bathroom, a mezzanine with a bed that sleeps two, and the final level is the rooftop.
A long concrete bench runs from indoors to out, connecting the two areas. An outdoor fireplace is the focal point in the atrium.
The intriguing cabin nestles into the rocks and dense vegetation — plus its roof affords residents a fabulous spot from which to view the scenery.
The roof reaches down to the ground via a ramp to climb up the stepped concrete and lay back to watch everything, from the Northern Lights to the beautiful scenery below.
The architect describes the materials used in Knapphullet as simple yet robust: white concrete, glass and sawn oak carefully selected to match the hues of the landscape, enabling the building to gradually blend into its surroundings. Interior walls and the acoustic ceiling use oak materials.
Cabin Knapphullet cost $445,000 and took three years to build, including infrastructure for the property. It was completed in 2014.
Svein Lund, of Lund Hagem Architects in Oslo, is the owner and archi- tect of the house. Here, he answers a few questions:
What inspired Cabin Knapphullet?
The project started with an idea of how to utilize this naturally sheltered area surrounded by large rocks and dense vegetation.
The idea developed to create a way to climb up from this shelter to see the panoramic view over the sea, which led to the characteristic shape of the roof — a stepped ramp leading up from the terrain to the top of the roof.
How have you incorporated the natural landscape?
The house nestles between large rocks surrounded by low vegetation, a typical example of a Norwegian coastal landscape. These sites often have harsh climate conditions. Strong winds can make it difficult for outdoor relaxation. To negotiate this situation, we have made a series of summer houses where parts of the building act as a windscreen and form a sheltered outdoor space. In this project, the rock and the house functions as windshield. The living room opens to both the west-facing terrace and the east-facing atrium. You can close or open both sides or one side in relation to the wind direction.
What were the construction challenges?
One of the challenges was to build the cabin without destroying the nature and the existing trees on the site. The other challenge was that we had to pump concrete 100 metres from the main access road, because of restricted vehicle access to the site.
How is the roof built? How is it used?
The roof is used for sunbathing, relaxing and as a viewing platform. It is executed in 270-millimetre-thick reinforced concrete with 20-millimetre insulation underneath. The concrete itself is water resistant, thus no additional roofing materials are required. The reinforcements are placed densely in order to prevent cracking. As a result, the roof is a smooth white surface creating a dialogue with the rocky landscape, and giving the cabin its distinctive character. The roof is not supported by columns, it is rather a large free span slab.
Are there sustainable features?
Building small footprint, good understanding of the landscape, using robust and long lifespan materials are all important aspects to make the building sustainable.
How does it merge with outdoors?
The sun is one of the most important factors influencing the design of summer houses in the Scandinavian countries. Norwegians enjoy outdoor living during the summer, therefore it’s important to create attractive exterior spaces.
In this project, the building itself forms a sheltering screen. This solution creates a smooth transition from inside to outside, and gives the outdoor spaces a more comfortable interior-like atmosphere.
What’s it like to live in the cabin?
The cabin gives an opportunity to live close to nature.
Knapphullet is a small shelter yet it brings rich experiences, various light, smell and sound.