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A tranquil wooden cabin perched on a hillside in Northern Sweden, the Söderloftet is a project by the architectural studio Fria Folket and is part of the Bergaliv landscape hotel. Completed in 2021, the small getaway cabin is located on a rock ledge on Åsberget mountain and offers a spectacular vista over the Ljusnan river valley. The name, meaning "South Loft," reflects its positioning. The structure is raised on slender pillars, a design choice that makes it appear to float among the surrounding treetops and balances the expansive landscape with a fine-tuned connection to the nearby forest. The 20-square-meter cabin consists of two main parts: a closed, heated living area and a large, open-air veranda that includes a covered viewing platform. The sheltered space features an extensive ceiling height of 4.5 meters, which provides an airy ambiance and allows for a smaller sleeping loft above the main living area. Inside, the design marries Nordic minimalism with Japanese-inspired aesthetics, using clean lines and light woods such as birch, fir, and heart pine. The flexible layout and minimal furnishings serve to emphasize the views of nature. A low wooden platform, for instance, can function as seating, a bed, or a space for yoga. To maximize its connection with the surrounding environment, the cabin's construction avoids plastics, and the walls and roof are insulated with flax fibers, a nod to traditional Nordic building methods. The Söderloftet stands as a serene and unobtrusive retreat, designed to help visitors escape a hectic life and find tranquility in nature. Credits Architects: Fria Folket Lead Architect: Hanna Michelson Client/Partner: Bergaliv landscape hotel Contractor: AJ Hälsinge renovering och bygg and Bygg Produktion i Bollnäs AB Photographs: Hanna Michelson
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Söderloftet
821 67 Vallsta, Sweden
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Fria Folket
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The Bergaliv Landscape Hotel, a project by architect Hanna Michelson, is a secluded, minimalist retreat in the foothills of the Åsberget mountains in Vallsta, northern Sweden. Completed in 2017, the hotel consists of a series of elevated wooden cabins designed to offer guests solitude and tranquility while minimizing their impact on the environment. Michelson, who also works for Tham & Videgård Arkitekter, was commissioned to create the cabins, which draw inspiration from traditional Swedish and Japanese design philosophies. The first cabin, known as Lofthuset ("the loft house"), was followed by the Söderloftet in 2021, and additional hideaways are planned. To reduce its visual impact and respect the landscape, each cabin is built on tall stilts that raise it above the ground and allow it to sway gently in the wind. This positioning gives guests a "high above the tree tops" view of the Ljusnan River valley below. The design is built around a concept of duality, with two contrasting spaces. The lower level of the 10-meter-tall structure is a compact, insulated space housing a combined living and sleeping area. This level features a wooden bench for resting and futon mattresses that can be hung on the wall to maximize space. Above, the upper level is an open-air deck with a gabled pinewood roof, offering uninterrupted views of the surrounding scenery and functioning as a peaceful vantage point. The cabins are constructed using a palette of natural materials. The exterior is clad in heart-pine and spruce wood, allowing the structures to blend into the forest, while the interior features pale birch plywood and ash. Following Nordic building traditions, the walls are insulated with flax fibers. With their minimalist and raw interiors, the cabins are designed to remove unnecessary noise and focus attention on the expansive natural landscape. Credits Architecture: Hanna Michelson / Fria Folket Location: Vallsta, Hälsingland, Sweden Client: Bergaliv Contractor: AJ Hälsinge Renovering & Bygg Manufacturers: Isolina Photography: Courtesy of Bergaliv Landscape Hotel
Bollnäs, Sweden
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Söderloftet
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