A ROOM WITH A VIEW

THE JUVET HOTEL IS REINVENTING THE TRADITIONAL NORWEGIAN CABIN. ARCHITECTURE TAKES A BACK SEAT TO NATURE.

The roaring Valldøla River is a mere stone’s throw from the pane of glass. White with rage, the river has been gnawing away at the gneiss for thousands of years, carving out a craggy gorge, creating a sight that is hard to look away from. On the slope, directly outside the window, birches and pines cling to massive boulders. Here and there, lush moss hides the grey nakedness of the rocks which, owing to the randomness of where they lay, seem to have been tossed in annoyance from the shoulders of Alstadfjellet Mountain. Now they lie here like dice once played with by giants. Behind the river, the mountain steeply rises like a wall; its flat, snow-covered peak plays host to any number of skiers, even in August. This is the view that holds guests captive at the Juvet Landscape Hotel. The hotel is located above the village Valldal on the Norddalsfjord. In other words: far from it all—a place with no special attractions. With the exception of one: the landscape. Which is why hotel owner Knut Slinning also likes to call his lodging a “landscape hotel.”

OUTSIDE IS INSIDE
Knut Slinning, a wiry, unshaven 59-year-old, was formerly a teacher of business administration. Today, he can occasionally be seen atop the Alstadfjellet with his shotgun, hunting for snow grouse. Two quotes accompany him through life, he relates, and both aptly apply to his hotel project. One of them comes from Goethe’s “Treasure Hunter,” which he was introduced to during his schooldays: “Daily work! Evening guests! Hard weeks! Joyous feasts! Let these then be your future magic words.” The other one is from Pippi Longstocking: “We’ve never tried it, so it should work out.” The hotel, which was opened in 2010, consists of freestanding, individual bungalows that can be reached from paths of crunching gravel. The pinewood used for the facade has been treated with iron vitriol, which speeds up its greying, helping the brand new buildings blend in with the trunks of the birches and the pieces of timber that have fallen to the ground. The bungalows look as if they have been haphazardly scattered among the rocks and the trees—in reality, however, the position of each and every dwelling was chosen with extreme care. The glass facades provide an exciting view of the gorge or river, or of a more contemplative view of moss-covered, rocky terrain. Moreover, no bungalow disturbs another through its presence: they have all been situated in such a way as to give every guest the feeling that the natural surroundings are there for them— and for them alone.

And when it comes to functionality, the modern cabins can hardly be surpassed: the double bed fits perfectly into its niche that opens up into the living area. Those guests who wish to fall asleep to the rush of the Valldøla have simply to open the sliding aperture in the wall, directly behind the head of the bed. In contrast to the interior of traditional Norwegian huts, the wood has not been left in its natural state. The entire room has been painted in a color reminiscent of ripe olives. The dark veneer gives guests a feeling of being in a snug cave—or of being inside a huge, old box camera, which also serves the purpose of transporting the outside to the inside.

But do people really want to live in dark caves, especially in the far North? “At its best, architecture is poetry,” explains architect Jan Olav Jensen. “We didn’t want to half-heartedly achieve our goal—namely, to fully expose our guests to nature—thus we needed dark walls.” The natural surroundings shine bril - liantly, as if on a stage. Every hour, every minute, the atmosphere changes, according to the time of day and clouds. Even though the bungalows are only around 30 square meters, guests do not feel confined: the glass facades provide a feeling of space, light and air.

NOBLE HUTS
“We’re aiming to address a special target group: poor on time and rich on cash,” says hotelier Slinning. A bungalow costs around €300 per night. Eminent lifestyle magazines, like Wallpaper, have written about the concept; “Le Figaro” and “The Times” also paid a visit. The Norwegians themselves have also welcomed the concept, as the veneration of nature is an integral part of the national identity. More than half of all Norwegians have their own “Hytte” where they spend weekends and holidays—preferably secluded, and without the usual comforts. Fact is, though, more and more Norwegians are building instead luxurious second homes. Entire settlements of homogenous, over sized blockhouses are popping up, embodying the exact opposite of the original intention of communing alone with nature. The Juvet Landscape Hotel, however, is a reminder that exclusivity is not a question of square meters: “There is room enough in the smallest hut for a happy, loving pair.”— as Friedrich Schiller knew.

Text: Bernd Hauser, Photos: Knut Slinning, Jensen & Skodvin
Bilfinger Berger Magazine 2/2011