Tour this waterfront Norwegian summer house in pristine nature

Cabin Lillesand by architect, Lund Hagem respects and enhances its natural setting in the country's south

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Cabin Lillesand a norwegian summer house with a green roof and glazed corner looking out to green nature
(Image credit: Ivar Kvaal)

This Norwegian summer house peaks out between rocks and green foliage a few steps from an old pier, southeast of the town of Lillesand. Fittingly titled Cabin Lillesand, the project, which was designed by Oslo-based architecture studio Lund Hagem, enjoys a restored, protected beach suitable for bathing and offers the perfect environment for an idyllic Nordic escape.

Cabin Lillesand a norwegian summer house out of wood in the shores of a north sea fjord

(Image credit: Svein Lund / Lund Hagem)

Cabin Lillesand: a contemporary Norwegian summer house

Made out of timber and concrete, the retreat was crafted as five separate buildings - aiming to remain low and inobtrusive, allowing the surrounding, glorious nature to be the protagonist of every stay.

Cabin Lillesand, a norwegian summer house out of wood and its timber interior looking out to waterside nature views through large windows

(Image credit: Ivar Kvaal)

A main wing contains the open-plan living room and kitchen/dining. A connecting roof reaches out to the bedroom section, which includes two rooms (the primary suite and guest accommodation), all linked up masterfully through changing levels and outdoor circulation areas.

Cabin Lillesand, a norwegian summer house out of wood and its timber interior looking out to waterside nature views through large windows

(Image credit: Ivar Kvaal)

'What is special here,' says Lundhagem partner Svein Lund, 'is that there are no hallways inside the house, which has the benefit of saving space.'

Cabin Lillesand, a norwegian summer house out of wood and its timber interior looking out to waterside nature views through large windows

(Image credit: Ivar Kvaal)

The client was after a getaway fit for every season and focused on framing life and context in this part of the country. Responding to this, the architects paid special attention to looking after the existing site and not only causing minimal intrusion to its natural setting but also restoring it where required.

Cabin Lillesand, a norwegian summer house out of wood and its timber interior looking out to waterside nature views through large windows

(Image credit: Ivar Kvaal)

With the help of old archive photos and an engaged client and builder, Richard Modalen, the shoreline was moved closer to the cabin (as it once was) and now, everything feels like it's always been so. 'We were able to restore the coastline as it originally looked,' says Lund.

Cabin Lillesand, a norwegian summer house out of wood and its timber interior looking out to waterside nature views through large windows

(Image credit: Ivar Kvaal)

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Ellie Stathaki
Ellie Stathaki

Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).