Off-Centred

Location: Småtjärnarna lake, near Örnsköldsvik
Construction Year: 2019
Team: Obi Okoye – KTH Stockholm, Anna Ekman – NTNU Trondheim, Joakim Kling – KADK Copenhagen, Ebba Gallon – KTH Stockholm, Agnes Taye – GSA Glasgow

Off the High Coast Trail, in a clearing near Småtjärnarna lake lies a wind shelter designed by Team Forest during Arknat 2019. The plot is somewhat hidden from the trail, but as you turn off and approach, you are greeted by a mature pine tree and a unique rock which mark the site’s centre. The rock tops a 2m drop to the forest floor below, and then the landscape falls away towards Veckefjärden, so one is drawn to stand on top of it and admire the view. Off-centred was conceived as means to enable one to experience multiple aspects of the site, highlighting its beauty and capturing key viewpoints.

Our intervention consists of two platforms: one supported by an off-centre tree trunk, which suspends a cabin above the rock; and one which surrounds the pine tree.  A stepped path connects the two and creates a strong axis through the site. The path and platforms are treated identically – open slats give views to the floor below with randomly placed spacers to mirror the organic forms of the forest. Sitting or standing on the various path levels lets you connect with the environment in different orientations, taking advantage of the changing light conditions.

The cabin is a semi-sheltered sleeping space for two, with benches that double up as beds. Its distinct roof form is derived from the position of the supporting trunk and signposts the site as a destination in its own right. Its homogeneity is maintained by ribbed cladding, which continue over side openings and doors, whilst adding visual depth shadow play. It is angled such that when its large roof doors open with a grand gesture towards the sky, the biorefinery across the water which constantly billows thick white smoke from its tall chimneys is shielded from view and you focus on the water and trees in the distance. The wall hatch below the doors folds down to provides an occasional table a lower level view.

The juxtaposition of the cabin above the rock creates a sheltered den like space below, where you can enjoy a sense of being grounded – close to the rough textures of the rock and the blueberry bushes strewn across the forest floor.

ARCHITECTURE OF THE YEAR

In the year 2020 ARKNAT won the "Architecute of the Year" awards (Årets Arkitektur). The awards was handed out during the Swedish Design Awards by RUM i Stockholm.