This simple form on the Bryggen shoreline tells the story of a technologically complex and culturally sensitive building project. Only accessible by boat and without mains electricity, planning permission was granted only on the precedent that another house had already been built on the island. And it was a condition of the Commune and the UNESCO World Heritage committee that it be built in the locality’s distinctive painted wood vernacular.
Our characteristic flair for design can be discerned in the contours of the jetty and the furniture within, but the essential value of the project lies in its materiality. In conducting research into methodologies dating back to the Middle Ages, and working with tradespeople engaged in carpentry, stonemasonry, roofing, and traditional detailing, we gained invaluable expertise we would translate into rural projects on the other side of the North Sea.
A core component of the proposal was sustainability. The lack of mains electricity required an investment in onsite generation and storage: for this, we proposed photo-voltaic panels coupled with a battery array. The insulation surpassed the exceptionally high standards of the Commune. To address the issues with mains water we developed a rainwater capture system and installed a wood burner that could provide heat for the water as well as the guests.
