The Elva Hotel, completed in 2023 by Mange Bekker Arkitektur, is a modern Scandinavian boutique hotel located in Voss, Norway, a region renowned for its natural beauty and adventure sports. The hotel's design is inspired by nature, combining contemporary architecture with a deep respect for the environment. It is situated on a former industrial site at the water's edge, transforming a previously underutilized area into a unique and eco-friendly retreat. The hotel comprises a main building and five freestanding, tower-like mini-houses, offering a total of 14 guest rooms. The main building features four wheelchair-accessible rooms, a reception area, conference space, and a restaurant. It is connected to an existing facility that houses a bar, café, kitchen, and spa. Each of the mini-houses, which contain one to three rooms, is named after one of the rivers in the Voss area, and every room is named after a local waterfall. The design intentionally blends into the landscape, with natural-colored materials and stilted structures that "balance" over the lake's edge, creating sheltered outdoor spaces and framed views of the river, lake, and mountains. The hotel's unique placement on stilts also elevates it above the projected 200-year flood level, a critical design consideration given its location in a vulnerable wetland area. To further minimize its carbon footprint, pre-cut timber was used for most of the construction, and concrete was limited to below the flood level. Large, floor-to-ceiling windows bring the natural surroundings indoors, creating a serene and private atmosphere in each room. The restaurant emphasizes locally produced food, and the overall design creates a landscape hotel that encourages guests to connect with the surrounding wilderness. Credits Architects: Mange Bekker Arkitektur Photography: Sam Hughes Manufacturers: Fora Form (furniture), Ege Carpets (flooring), Bergene Holm AS (fiber cement plates), Nordan (windows), Oras (bathroom fittings)