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Remote sheep farm on Norwegian island subtly transformed into idyllic resort
The clients, a young couple running a small sheep farm on the island of Stokkøya, wanted to do something more with the place they inherited, and perhaps be able to make a living out of it. They wanted to create a resort with a high architectural quality that was not exclusive, but a place where the uniqueness of the location could be experienced by everyone.
The building is partly buried underground to keep impact upon the landscape to a minimum. The vegetation roof makes it difficult to discover the building when arriving at the place, while the front of the building opens up towards the beach and the sea view.
The 13 rooms are made unique by using different surface materials and furnishings in each. Every room also has a sea view, and is protected by a winter garden.
The formwork-boards for the concrete are reused as exterior façades, while small sky domes let in natural light, creating a special atmosphere and acting as little lanterns at night.
The interiors combine design classics with vintage furniture, artwork and one-off pieces made on site. Every room has its own material pallet and its own identity. Redesign and reuse of materials, contrasts between the materials, artwork and furniture make every room special and different from the next.
All the rooms are wheelchair accessible. The hotel also contains a lobby café, meeting facilities and outdoor barbeque area.
Running along the rear of the building, and completely buried under the sand, is a technical utilities corridor which gives great possibilities when it comes to maintenance and flexibility. The building gets most of its heating energy from an air-to-water heat pump.
Simple architecture, minimal carbon footprint and respect for the landscape were key words for the whole development, which was built on a very limited budget.
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