The cabin in the woods holds a special place in the hearts and minds of the Nordic nations; and the Norwegians are a case in point. Called ‘hytte’, the Norwegian countryside cabins are as popular as ever in the Scandinavian nation, and a typology Norwegian-born and US-based architect Casper Mork-Ulnes knows well.
His latest project, created by his San Francisco and Oslo-based firm Mork-Ulnes Architects, is Mylla Cabin, a timber structure set on the Mylla Lake within a forest, a short drive north of Oslo.
Designed as a nature retreat for a geologist and his family, where they can spend the mild summers of Norway and go on skiing trips in the winter, the structure sits on a hilltop, set against the leafy context. This is a relatively generous structure, as cabins go, spanning 84 sq m and including flowing open plan living spaces, as well as two bedrooms, a bunkroom for the children, two compact bathrooms, a small annex for ski waxing, bike and ski storage, and a two-person sauna.
Efficient design was important to the clients, as was a strong connection to the outdoors; so the architects worked with untreated pine and plywood to create a warm, welcoming skin and bespoke furniture inside and out. A pinwheel shaped floorplan means that large windows could be carved out in every room and the structure could be orientated so that it makes the most out of the views towards the lake, field and forest.
Maintaining the traditional ‘hytte’ feel of simplicity and proximity to nature and natural materials, but bringing the structure into the 21st century in order to satisfy the modern family’s needs, Mork-Ulnes Architects updated the typology with large windows, high ceilings, modern yet familiar materials and smart design.
Offering a wide panorama of its surroundings, while cocooning its residents in comfort and efficiency, Mylla Cabin is a thoroughly modern cabin at one with nature. ‘The untreated pine exterior is intended to turn silver over time – blending with the snow in winter and aging with grace in the forested landscape,’ says Mork-Ulnes.
The cabin is situated in the Norwegian forest.
The structure is clad in untreated pine, echoing the traditional Norwegian cabin.
The project’s pinwheel floorplan helps create optimum orientation for views
Inside, the cabin offers ample accomodation for a geologist and his family.
The open plan living room and kitchen is clad in timber, cosy and perfect for winter skiing trips.
Custom plywood furniture can be found throughout.
The relatively generous cabin includes three bedrooms and two compact bathrooms...
...as well as a bunkroom for the children.
INFORMATION
For more information visit the website of Mork-Ulnes Architects
-
Samuel Collins’ stone sculptures capture the raw and rugged nature of the British landscapeThe British artist and sculptor presents 'Silence Split', a series of stone sculptures which presents an abstract take on the horizontal and vertical landscape
-
Houston's Ismaili Centre is the most dazzling new building in America. Here's a look insideLondon-based architect Farshid Moussavi has created a new building open to all – and in the process, has created a gleaming new monument
-
A postcard from Irish Design Week 2025How Ireland's collaborative design culture, from Kilkenny's 60-year legacy to island circularity offers an expansive model for the future
-
Houston's Ismaili Centre is the most dazzling new building in America. Here's a look inside
London-based architect Farshid Moussavi has created a new building open to all – and in the process, has created a gleaming new monument
-
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fountainhead will be opened to the public for the first timeThe home, a defining example of the architect’s vision for American design, has been acquired by the Mississippi Museum of Art, which will open it to the public, giving visitors the chance to experience Frank Lloyd Wright’s genius firsthand
-
Clad in terracotta, these new Williamsburg homes blend loft living and an organic feelThe Williamsburg homes inside 103 Grand Street, designed by Brooklyn-based architects Of Possible, bring together elegant interiors and dramatic outdoor space in a slick, stacked volume
-
This ethereal Miami residence sprouted out of a wild, jungle-like gardenA Miami couple tapped local firm Brillhart Architecture to design them a house that merged Florida vernacular, Paul Rudolph and 'too many plants to count’
-
Tour Cano House, a Los Angeles home like no other, full of colour and quirkCano House is a case study for tranquil city living, cantilevering cleverly over a steep site in LA’s Mount Washington and fusing California modernism with contemporary flair
-
An ocean-facing Montauk house is 'a coming-of-age, a celebration, a lair'A Montauk house on Hither Hills, designed by Hampton architects Oza Sabbeth, is wrapped in timber and connects its residents with the ocean
-
With a freshly expanded arts centre at Dartmouth College, Snøhetta brings levity to the Ivy LeagueThe revamped Hopkins Center for the Arts – a prototype for the Met Opera house in New York –has unveiled its gleaming new update
-
From Bauhaus to outhouse: Walter Gropius’ Massachusetts home seeks a design for a new public toiletFor years, visitors to the Gropius House had to contend with an outdoor porta loo. A new architecture competition is betting the design community is flush with solutions
