Skala- Northern Lights Cabins

[slideshow_deploy id='2202']   Our proposal seeks to reflect the dynamic nature of the Northern Lights not the wonderful landscape of Iceland, looking at the proposal as an extension to the landscape upwards to meet the northern lights. We see our proposal as the space in between the sky and landscape the 2 main aspect of Icelandic landscapes. Our design driven by the desire to reflect the dynamic nature of the northern lights and the calm and stillness of the landscape. Using advanced digital tools combined with local and traditional vernacular our proposal puts forward a new typology for Iceland one which builds on and improves the current beautiful traditional huts. Our Innovative  proposal responds to the brief through a number of clear and distinct steps.   Organisations Here 2 distance approaches to sites and challenges such as this. 1- Centralised and compact proposals which seeks to keep all aspects of the project close together to reduce the cost of infrastructure, and minimise the impact on the surrounding landscape. 2- Decentralised which in effect separates building and creates privacy by embedding the forms within the landscape, the difficulty with this particular approach is there will be no central character or space and accommodation can feel separates and lost within the site, specially one as big as this. The cost implication of this can also be quite high. 3-Integrated approach, Our approach seek to take the best of both worlds, looking at trains as inspiration we have designed accommodation which is able to move along simple tracks on site. The huts themselves will prefabricated so are perfectly dimensions and very similar to train carriages The added benefit to this is that there can be multiple organisation of the huts, which means that the scheme is constantly evolving as result of user input and management. The huts organised around a Central deck which extends form the road, this also acts as the central space for the entire scheme.  This is where the permanent structure and stables will be place( outside the 200m No build zone)  and where guest first arrive at. Once checked in users can move to their huts and choose numerous location along the track, the further from the start they move to more private and remote the huts will become. This enables multiple strategies for occupation and easy management for big, medium and small groups.   The huts produce a dynamic movement across the site which mimics the moment of the northern lights allowing user to embed themselves within nature and the experience. The movement also allows us to be efficient in term of our impact on the landscape, minimal tracks rather than path means that the cabins can be serviced when in the central hub, minimising the infrastructure required to service each individual hut within such a vast landscape.   Form We are fascinated by the way in which roofs from traditional huts are integrated into the landscape and how they read as the continuation of this landscape. We are also keen on adding to this by using up to date technological advances both in terms of design and manufacturing to create a new identity. Having reviewed the proposals we simply did want to produce another pitcher roof. In our proposal we have insured that the roof space is accessible, given the huts an all around year feel, during winter the northern lights are the integral part of the scheme and during summer when these are no longer visible users can embed themselves into an all around natural experience enjoying views towards the mountains and lake. The roof also plays on the traditional roof which blend into the landscape disappearing, not allowing you to distinguish between landscape and built form. With time and vegetation these huts will be firmly embedded within the landscape. The form also mimics the pitched vernacular at the entrance giving the users that all familiar feeling, this soon disappears when entering the hut and experiencing a dynamic and highly articulated interior, one which attempts to avoid right angles which are never seen in nature. Creating a fluid inter which created to the landscape beyond. The pitched roof and roofs-cape also allows us to collect water into storage tanks beneath the hut, allowing us to reduce out over energy footprint.   Constructibility The cabins model after train carriages are easily prefabricated and delivered to site either by road or water. They are seen as pieces of furniture within the landscape and use standard and simple manufacturing techniques and craft to deliver a highly efficient, cost effective and sustainable design. The main structure of the huts will be laminated timber which is a sustainable material, this is then clad in simple timber panelling as this will the huts to blend into the landscape as they age.  The structure will be constructed off-site and delivered to site using road or waterway.   Structure We will use easy to assemble timber laminated structure with timber panels. This allows us to treat the structure as prefabricated elements, full isolated against the conditions   Mobility The Huts are placed onto a train carriage platform and use wheel to travel along the tracks. There will be central motor room and a caballing system which allows the huts to move up and down the tracks sustainability and easily. This also means that servicing can take place through a central hub rather than individually across the entire site. The mobility allows for 3 main aspects:   1-The mobility itself reflect the dynamic nature of the northern lights. 2-the moment means that you can shift your position on site based on preferences, air flow sunlight views. 3-the moment allows for different levels of privacy, the closer you are to the central hub the more social the and the further away you are the more secluded and private. Again this means that users are able to choose location based on privacy, a completely innovative approach to organising  a site such as this. 4- Organisation the movement also makes for a more unique and sustainable scheme, as it allows the entire scheme to be used in different arrangements means that it can cater for big, medium and small group whilst providing all the benefits of privacy and seclusion in the most sustainable manor. This also minimise the impact on the beautiful landscape without loosing all the joy in being able to relocate.   Performance The formal approach seeks to minimise impact on site as much as possible, using natural ventilation for cooling ,and ground source heat pup which connects into under floor heating to heat the structure.   Creating a new destination and iconic landmark for Iceland.