Window on the wilderness – sustainable extension takes in the sea eagle's domain

Designed by Stinessen Arkitektur

From the architects:

Manshausen 2.0 is a recent extension of the Manshausen Island Resort. Manshausen Island is situated in the Steigen Archipelago off the coast of Northern Norway and is home to the world´s largest population of Sea Eagles. The Island´s position between majestic mountains and the Barents Sea is in itself the inspiration for the design.

The extension includes new cabins and a sauna/relax area in connection with a central seawater pond on the island. 

The sauna was made using left-over materials from the first stage of the building process and also old slate roof tiles found on the island. 

The design seeks to relate to the specific positioning in the pond, but also the surrounding landscape, while offering the guests a comfortable seating inside and an easy access to the cold water.

The new cabins are positioned at the tip of the rocky formations at the northern end of the Island and out over the sea. 

Although they enjoy much of the same undisturbed sea views the positioning in the landscape offers a unique approach to the design. 

Wave heights, extreme weather conditions and also future raise in sea level were studied to determine the exact positions of the cabins. 

The exposure to the natural elements is extreme and aluminum sheet cladding was chosen to withstand the salinity and salt water exposure. 

The access to the cabins is via the rocky formations that allows you to step into and up out above the sea below. 

The shelter design endeavours to make a minimum environmental impact with minimum footprint and the use of cross laminated timber (CLT) construction. 

The glazing is custom made for the project and the large glasses allow for unobstructed views of the nature and the elements outside.

Story by: Trendsideas

Photography by: Adrien Giret, Snorre Stinessen, Kjell Ove Storvik