a wooden cabin by Fria Folket
Perched on a rock ledge on the hillside of Åsberget, Sweden, the South Loft is a snug wooden gateway cabin.
Completed for Bergaliv hotel by architecture studio Fria Folket, the small house emerges as an oasis of tranquility in the picturesque Swedish setting.
The whole structure stands on a row of slender pillars, giving the impression of floating amid the surrounding treetops. Just a few steps away from its sibling, ‘the Lofthouse’, both share the same spectacular vistas of the Ljusnan river valley.
all images by Hanna Michelson
Conceived as the second of four planned getaways for Bergaliv landscape hotel (see more here), the wooden shelter provides an airy indoor space of 20 sqm. Suspended on the hillside, the South Loft generates a ‘balance between the grandeur of the far landscape and the fine-tuned connection to the surrounding forest’.
When it comes to the scheme, the team at Fria Folket surrounded the living space with an open-air corridor that leads to a balcony, where residents can enjoy the stunning panoramas while being protected from the elements. The sheltered space is characterized by its extensive ceiling that spans 4,5 meters and hosts a smaller sleeping loft.
reflecting the muted palette of the surrounding scenery
Drawing from the stillness of the surrounding landscape, the design team sought to translate the beauty of untamed nature into an architectural language characterized by simplicity and honesty. The architects thus sought to avoid excess decoration, equipping the house with a minimum of furnishings that could be hung, or tacked up on the walls when not in use.
In the main room, two square openings in combination with a smooth surface of pale birch plywood, mark out a cozy nook for rest and meditation. Here a wooden platform fills the multiple purposes transforming into seating during mealtime, a bed for sleeping, and an elevated floor for yoga practice or contemplating the view. This low birch bench also functions as a utility wall for storing bedclothes and chairs when not used. The materials of the house recall the palette of the landscape, which is dominated by birch, fir, and heart pine. The whole construction is free from plastics and the walls and roof are insulated with flax fibers according to nordic building traditions.
the structure stands on a row of slender pillars mounted on the ground
the house features a little but functional kitchenette
a wooden ladder guides visitors to the sleeping loft
visitors can enjoy unobstructed views of the valley
the low wooden bench doubles as a bed
the space can easily be turned into a sleeping area depending on the number of the guests
project info:
name: The South Loft
architects: Fria Folket | @friafolket
lead architect: Hanna Michelson
completion year: 2021
location: Vallsta, Sweden
