The golden soria moria sauna echoes both landscape and local mythology

SITTING ON THE SHORE OF BANDAK LAKE IN NORWAY, LOCAL PRACTICE FESTE LANDSCAPE / ARCHITECTURE’S DESIGN FOR A SAUNA THAT ECHOES THE SURROUNDING LANDSCAPE IS SUITABLY PICTURESQUE. the

shingle-clad soria moria sauna finds itself in telemark county, 160km southwest of oslo, overlooking the breathtaking water views whilst interpreting the wrinkling lines of the mountains

with sharper polygonal silhouette. images courtesy of the architects INTEGRATED IN THE CLADDING, WHICH IS INSPIRED BY LOCAL BUILDING TECHNIQUES, FESTE USE GLEAMING GOLDEN SHINGLES. the gold

is a reference to local folklore, where the sauna gets its name from, a well-known norwegian fairytale about a gold palace in the mountains. inside an interior of blonde timber houses the

sauna, a changing room and a covered seating area for taking in the views. THE PROJECT IS CONSTRUCTED ON STILTS ALONG THE INLET TO ALLOW FOR BATHING IN THE LAKE. the walkway has been

designed to seamlessly integrate with the sigurdsevja inlet, a precise and characteristic landscape formation the architects wished to emphasize. the walkway becomes part of an existing

network of footpaths along the lake, with connections to the nearby dalen hotel. THE PROJECT IS PART OF _TALES OF THE WATERWAY,_ A LARGE-SCALE TOURISM AND ATTRACTION INITIATIVE THAT HOPES TO

FACILITATE A ‘RE-DISCOVERY’ OF THE CANAL AND ITS SURROUNDING LANDSCAPE THROUGH THE USE OF ARCHITECTURE, ART AND LIGHTING DESIGN. the project is split into six sub-projects, one for each

municipality along the 105km long canal. as well as project managing the overall project (in collaboration with landscape architect inge dahlman, artist maria klyvare and lighting designer

tobias olsson), feste landscape / architecture are in charge of the design of the first of the six sub-projects.  kieron marchese I designboom oct 30, 2018