carla gertz embeds mökki santara cabin into the finnish wilderness

far away from civilization, at the end of a multi-hour trip from helsinki, lies mökki santara — a cabin embedded into the wilderness of forests and lakes designed by carla gertz. taking its name from the finnish term mökki, meaning small cottage by the lake, the black dwelling is a quiet retreat without luxury that links the urban everyday life to the rural closeness with nature.

all images © carla gertz

organized around traditional spatial concepts, the mökki santara by carla gertz separates living and cleaning into two separate volumes. both of them sit on a slightly elevated platform and open to the southwest, overlooking lake santara. the simple gabled structures feature a black, archaic monolithic appearance when closed, offering a contemporary interpretation of the mökki typology. inside, the warm ambiance contrasts with the exterior, as the circulation seamlessly floats from one room to the other. the kitchen, living and sleeping areas are divided by white and untreated wooden surfaces, showcasing exclusive use of regional and sustainable materials. by using spruce timber sourced and dried on location, the cabin exudes a comforting atmosphere, even if outside it’s freezing.

the mökki santara was built in only 8 weeks with prefabricated construction elements, easy-to-assemble windows, doors and built-in furniture. a fifth façade was created with hidden waterproofing beneath as the beveled siding of the timber frame walls continues into the roof. details that can’t be seen, like the flush mount sheds and the seamless transition of verge and eaves, support the clean, elegant and abstract form of the cabin. this precise detailing is also reflected on the interiors as furniture and construction merge resulting in a cautious yet natural approach — a gentle architecture for a quiet scenery.

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project info:

architects: carla gertz
location: savitaipale, finland
area: 105.0 m2
project year: 2017