a house made of oak plank offcuts stands on the south coast of norway

leftover wood builds Saltviga House by Kolman Boye Architects

Stockholm-based Kolman Boye Architects experiments with leftover materials to construct a one-of-a-kind wooden house standing on the south coast of Norway. ‘Saltviga House’ project driven by designers Erik Kolman’s and Victor Boye’s curiosity about gentleness and repurposing of matter, sets up a unique timber structure applying offcuts from the production of Dinesen Oak planks. Aiming for a sustainable design and a responsible approach to architecture, the family home interferes with the Norwegian landscape, blending into the setting and respecting the surrounding rocks and stones, dense growths of firs, and living nature. Perching over a rocky slope between the ocean and the wild forest, the volume is composed of 12.000 pieces of offcuts in Dinesen Oak and Douglas. 

The concept of the design focuses on the unique properties of the natural material of wood, its tactile expression and dimensions, and the blemishes and weathers forming over time. In-depth analysis of terrain and climate and careful processing of the materials hold important aspects of the process. Each piece of leftover wood undertakes examination, processing, and preparation before application. Intending for a meaningful and enduring project, the design team repurposes discarded resources and utilizes affordable yet sturdy materiality throughout the construction.

Saltviga House blends in with the landscape on Norway’s coastline | all images by Johan Dehlin

an aesthetic design with an environmentally conscious profile

For ‘Saltviga House’, the design team at Kolman Boye utilizes an entire tree trunk for the construction, aiming for a building that subjects itself to and coexists with its surroundings standing in harmony with nature without leaving a harmful carbon footprint. The sustainability of the structure is based on two aspects; binding as much CO2 as possible by using a timber construction and using leftover wood from Dinesen’s plank production to maximize the lifespan of the offcuts by giving them a new function. The approach is characteristic of the studio’s design principles, based on great sensitivity to experiential aspects, cultural heritage, and physical architectural qualities. Thus, an essential part of the concept is the construction of an aesthetic house with an environmentally and culturally conscious profile.

The design also activates the senses of sound, touch, and smell by virtue of its materiality and its interaction with the landscape. The house is distributed over several structures on five different levels to adapt to the site. Every building component has a specific purpose and connection with the setting. The existing topography leads to the architectural decision to minimize the impact of the newly built volume on nature. The narrow paths shaped through the forest floor are preserved, and the architecture accommodates the natural view of the sea in between the trunks of the old trees.

the construction uses leftover wood to maximize the lifespan of the offcuts giving them a new function

The offcuts of leftover oak wood are given a functional role in both the exterior, coating the roof and walls, as well the interior on the wall lining and ceilings. The result is a vibrant interplay of varying shades of color and the amazing aroma of Douglas fir. The design team opts for a sense of well-being and symbiotic co-existence with nature, indoors and out. The nod to nature remains eminent in interior solutions such as shelves, bookcases, and stair treads and in the custom-designed kitchen with fronts made from Douglas offcuts. The architecture applies a sustainable treatment of nature’s resources with every piece of discarded wood being usefully repurposed.

the volume is composed of 12.000 pieces of offcuts in Dinesen Oak and Douglas

the exterior displays a facade coated in Dinesen Oak offcuts

the nod to nature remains eminent in interior solutions such as shelves, bookcases, and stair treads

the dining room overlooks the surrounding greenery and ocean

the design opts for a sense of well-being and symbiotic co-existence with nature, indoors and out

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living room

kitchen area

lounge zone

first floor with Dinesen Douglas planks

stairway in Dinesen Douglas

Erik Kolman and Victor Boye select Dinesen offcuts for the project

project info:

name: Saltviga House
designer: Kolman Boye Architects | @kolmanboye

production of oak planks: Dinesen

engineering: Limträteknik, Falun

construction: Byggmester Modalen, Høvåg

location: Saltviga, Norway

photography: Johan Dehlin | @johan_dehlin

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom