Project: Northface House
Architects: Element Arkitekter AS
Location: Stavanger, Norway
Area: 2,981 sf
Photographs by: Courtesy of Element Arkitekter AS
Northface House by Element Arkitekter AS
Element Arkitekter AS has designed the Northface House atop a hill overlooking the beautiful city of Stavanger in Norway. The house was actually built in 1969 but now it received a total makeover where the bottom part was renovated while the top section was completely redesigned.
The existing house was built in 1969 as a twin to the neighboring building. It did not function well to the demands of 2008-living, neither in the room sizes nor in their solutions, and it had generally a need for restoration work.
Element, together with the client, has come to a solution where mainly the bottom two stories are rehabilitated while the top story is replaced with a lighter and more open construction which opens up towards a grand view of the fjord.
This is a big change from the earlier situation where it was necessary to go down a level to see the view.
The top volume is 3 meters cantilevered over the rest of the volumes and is pulled away from the road to make room for a larger sun deck towards the south and to let more light into the building. This deck is also thereby sheltered from the northern wind.
The architectural expression strengthens the qualities on the site and reflects its norhtern orientation. At the same time it respects the existing constructive principles.
