Two tree houses in Woodnest, on the steep woodland hills around Hardangerfjord
Two tree houses in Woodnest, on the steep woodland hills around Hardangerfjord

Two tree houses in Woodnest, on the steep woodland hills around Hardangerfjord

A project where the architecture is a specific response to the topography and the conditions of the site itself. Each tree house is suspended 5-6m above the forest floor and attached by a steel collar to the trunk of a pine tree

The journey to the site begins with a 20-minute walk from the town of Odda, to the edge of the fjord and through the forest passing a steep winding path. Each tree house is accessible via a small wooden bridge, leading visitors from the ground into the structure and up into the tree

Two tree houses in Woodnest, on the steep woodland hills around Hardangerfjord

The interior space, designed by Helen & Hard, is only 15 square meters carefully organized around the central trunk of the tree and houses four beds, a bathroom, a kitchen area and a living room. From here you can look out and experience the view through the trees as it opens up to the fjord below

Two tree houses in Woodnest, on the steep woodland hills around Hardangerfjord

At the heart of the design is an appreciation of wood as a building material, drawing inspiration from Norwegian cultural traditions of vernacular architecture. The cottage is structurally supported by the tree trunk itself. Untreated natural wood shingles enclose the volume and create a protective shield around the building, these shingles will weather and transform over time, blending the building into the surrounding forest

Two tree houses in Woodnest, on the steep woodland hills around Hardangerfjord

Woodnest is an extraordinary project where the architecture wants to give people the opportunity to stop and appreciate the beautiful details of the nature we all inhabit; the texture of the woods, the daily rhythm of the forest and the feeling of living in nature and being part of it

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