Timber Nest
Constructed at 937 meters above sea level, the Timber Nest cabin is located beyond the village of Rødberg in the scenic Hallandsfjell mountains. Overlooking the pristine landscapes of the Hardangervidda National Park, the cabin offers a serene retreat, blending traditional design with modern living, all while embracing the raw beauty of Norway’s natural surroundings.
Due to its surroundings, the cabin is exposed to severe winter weather, at times being buried under meters of snow. To design a cabin is linked to the basics of living. Everyday life goes in circles between simple, essential tasks. Therefore, the programme reflects this simplicity; cooking, sleeping, hygiene, and being together.
Designed to seamlessly integrate with its natural setting, the cabin placement preserves much of the existing vegetation. Visitors leave their cars by the road and walk through a birch forest to reach the entrance. This minimal disruption to the landscape emphasizes the intent to create a respectful dialogue between the built environment and nature.
The resulting architecture is characterized by its simplicity and ruggedness. The Timber Nest’s rectangular form is punctuated by a bold cut, marking the entrance, and offering sheltered storage for winter equipment. A large round window adds an intriguing element, offering a peek into the inviting interior and establishing a visual connection between inside and out.
Built entirely from solid wood, the cabin has a strong structural expression. Exposed cross-laminated timber defines both the interior and exterior, with untreated pine cladding that will weather naturally, developing a grey patina that mirrors the aging landscape. This material choice not only roots the cabin in its surroundings but also creates a warm, intimate atmosphere inside, where smooth pine paneling evokes a sense of calm and comfort.
In contrast to the warmth of the wood, the polished concrete floor with underfloor heating introduces a tactile interplay between raw and refined materials. Custom cabinetry and furniture crafted from cross-laminated pine further enrich the interior, with select pieces treated in green to create sculptural focal points, such as the kitchen island and staircase. The extensive use of wood also imparts a distinctive, unique olfactory quality to the retreat.
Deferring to the natural mountain landscape all around, the architecture engages the outdoors in a spectacular fashion. Integrated within the wooden structure, floor to ceiling glazing invite the landscape inside, dissolving the boundary between interior and exterior and highlighting the landscape ever-changing scenery on which the cabin life is based.
The Timber Nest cabin exemplifies thoughtful, site-specific design, celebrating Norway’s architectural heritage while offering a sanctuary for its inhabitants.
