Lyngen Municipality, Tromsø, Norway

Located in the nothern part of Norway near the Lyngen Alps area, the Aurora 2.0 cabins, designed by Snorre Stinessen, are a complex of idyllic retreat lodges with panoramic view over the horizon and architectural volumes that optimizing the experience of both nature and natural phenomena outside, but it also served to preserve the trees and natural vegetation on site.

The project demands a particular focus not only on spending quality time together but also on privacy and the possibility of having time for yourself, to relax, contemplate the experience of nature, or to work.

For its conceptual design, he project has recently won a 2024 International Architecture Award by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.

Both the name and the shape of the internal spaces reflect the natural winter phenomena this arctic area is so famous for, the northern lights/aurora borealis.

The shape of the spaces and rooms, bedrooms, position of the sofas, and particularly the beds and large slanting west-facing glass ensures a unique experience of the starry skies above.

The main building houses a wardrobe, bathroom, living room areas, kitchen, and dining room and can convert part of the living room to a generous master bedroom.

It is organized around a central entrance with a covered outdoor fireplace and branches off to the kitchen/bar, dining room, and lounge on the north side, library, and living room/master bedroom around an open fireplace on the south side of the building.

There are hidden doors through the library to a bathroom and wardrobe on the south side, through the kitchen cabinets to a wet kitchen, and a separate kitchen entrance on the north side.

Three bedrooms are done as separate volumes with ensuite bathrooms, wardrobes, and a fold-out workstation from the custom cabinet.

The small volumes are reached through ramps that fold down when the buildings are in use.

The interiors focus the main experience on the fantastic views – all the time stepping up and away from the terrain until you finally sit on the bench by/under the glass or in bed.

The bed is pushed all the way to the glass to maximize the experience of being in undisturbed nature, the elevation above ground and sloping terrain ensures absolute privacy.

The space is designed as a piece of completely custom furniture that houses many hidden functions or practical spaces.

The north wall is completely made as a cabinet with a spacious wardrobe, space for luggage, drawers, and cabinets, a fold-out bench, a fold-out table or desk for working, a mini-bar, a coffee machine, and technical installations.

Behind the slanting back-rest of the bed, there is an en-suite bathroom, where the slanting surfaces and dark colors of the stones create an almost opposite spatial experience from the bedroom in nature and thus a private retreat.

The ramps of these bedrooms close the building completely when nobody’s home.

The spread-out complex ensures both complete privacy and optimizes the experience of both nature and natural phenomena outside, but it also serves to preserve the trees, natural vegetation, rock formations, etc, on-site.

All buildings were carefully positioned on site between the trees etc.

All buildings are raised above the terrain, most so to the south and west, which provide the natural terrain underneath with sufficient daylight, water, etc. to live more or less undisturbed from the buildings above.

It also creates the experience of ascending to elevated viewing positions in the landscape, up towards the skies above.

Project: Aurora 2.0 Cabins
Architects: Snorre Stinessen Arkitektur AS
Lead Architect: Snorre Stinessen
General Contractor: Logpro Construction Norway AS
Client: Lyngen Aurora
Photographs: Courtesy of the Architects