A cabin that disappears under snow
At 982 metres above Geilo, winter access is by ski or snowmobile. Lund Hagem set Cabin Geilo as low as possible in the hillside so that, in deep winter, the building is nearly buried. The cabin reads as a dark cut against white — not an object on a pedestal.
Snow load and view cones drove the outer silhouette as much as the plan. Three volumes — main cabin, guest house, carport — sit under a continuous U-shaped pitched roof that forms a sheltered south courtyard, the thermal and social heart when the surrounding landscape is locked in shadow and wind.
“The cabin is placed as low as possible in the landscape and during winter is almost covered in snow.”
— Lund Hagem, project description
South courtyard, low winter sun
At this latitude the sun sits low. The courtyard admits daytime light when a conventional north-facing deck would stay cold. Separating guest accommodation and carport under one roof gives privacy without scattering buildings across the slope — a brief that asked for family and guests through harsh winters, tightly bound to terrain and view.
Inside, a long single-frame skylight at the roof ridge and a fireplace hung from the roof add light without punching the envelope with scattered openings. The U-roof sheds snow, collects three programmes, and defines a protected outdoor room for shoulder seasons.
Black concrete, black timber
Terrain-facing façades are board-formed concrete, tinted black — mass against hillside and snow drift. Remaining façades are black-painted timber, aligning with regional vernacular. Formwork boards matched the timber cladding module so the two materials share a grain even as they differ in mass.
Floors are black concrete; oak linings are iron-sulphate treated. The dark field lets the white landscape outside read closer. Published manufacturers include Alvdal Skurlag (timber), nordvestvinduet (windows), and APS aluminium systems. Much of the glass is carved into the glulam construction with minimal framing.
Sources
Research drawn from published project documentation. Photography credits are for attribution only — images on this page are placeholders until rights are cleared.
