Rever & Drage’s classic bolthole in the wilderness north of Oslo is light and cosy but the nature around it is the star of the piece
This 29m2 cabin in Nordmarka, in the immediate wilderness north of Oslo, sits happily with the classic idea of a bolthole. It provides only the basic things and little more. It is easy to clean; light and open but also intimate and cosy. Beyond these needs, architect Rever & Drage focused on the site –not just views to the woods and lakes – but on environmental concerns; and with foundations limited to six bolts set into the bedrock, the cabin can be quickly removed with minimal impact.
An existing 1930s cabin sits alongside. The thinking had initially been to extend this but on reflection the client decided to keep it in its rudimentary state as guest sleeping quarters, with the new cabin acting as the living space along with attendant ‘mod cons’ of water and electricity. Its interior is simple but functional, doglegging up from the stone floor of the entrance/kitchen to the timber living/parents sleeping space; from here, it’s up a ladder to the kids’ play/sleeping area, below which is the bathroom.
While side lights replicate those of the old cottage, the main move is in the big, angled picture window that offers open views to the landscape. With a large return on the old cabin side, a slatted timber baffle not only defers to the original building, it cleverly hides the steel strut making the glazing gymnastics possible.
Rever & Drage Architects with Jan-Carlos Kucharek