Norwegian Micro Cabin on Stilts Creates a Link Between the Inside and Outside

A local cabin developer contacted Feste Landscape / Architecture and asked them to design a floating micro cabin for their portfolio. Due to the local planning restrictions of the Nisser lake in Telemark, Norway, the prototype has been instead designed on stilts. However, the ultimate aim is to develop a floating version of the same cabin in the future.

From a sustainability point of view, the micro cabin offers an alternative to the emerging trend in the Norwegian holiday home market of luxury cabins with sprawling footprints. The design attempts to maximize the user’s experience of the lake and the surrounding landscape. The glazed façade between the kitchen/living room and the covered terrace creates a seamless link between the inside and outside. Externally, the walls and roof of the cabin are clad in thermally treated pinewood, creating a precise and expressive design and at the same time blending in with its surroundings. Gutters and downpipes are integrated into the external walls allowing for clean facades from all angles.

The floorplan measures 26 square meters with a small mezzanine loft for sleeping. In total, the cabin sleeps seven people. Access to electricity, water, and sewage is provided through a flexible pipe which enters from underneath the cabin. This system is also designed to function with a floating version of the cabin.