Lofthuset i Orbaden

Jury’s statement

The tower is a place from which to admire the landscape and gaze at the moon. A place to be present and at peace on an abandoned ski slope looking out across the valley of Älvdalen.

Three rooms rise up vertically above each other; a space for nature closest to the ground, accommodation in the middle and a viewing platform at the top. The building makes a sensitive addition to the mountainside, almost without touching the ground. The construction method, using glulam posts and prefabricated spruce trusses, was carefully chosen to deal with the site’s terrain and lack of access. The middle room, the only one with insulation, is reached via a bridge from the slope. The room contains all the necessary facilities for an overnight stay. Internally, the pre-fabricated frame merges with the custom-built interior features. The structural elements define the space and mark out different zones, while the various components form original items of furniture.

The viewing platform at the top is sheltered from the weather, wrapped in an attractively detailed pattern of external beams and capped with a wooden roof. The open design allows panoramic views of the vast river valley through 360 degrees.

 

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