Less is More at Norway’s Minimalist Juvet Landscape Hotel

We're excited to share yet another study in classic minimalist design, this time from Jensen & Skodvin. Their Juvet landscape hotel in West Norway features 10 tiny rooms that fit snuggly into their picturesque surroundings with virtually no environmental footprint - like these adorable pods from France and this incredible treehouse studio. Intrinsically respectful of its mind-blowing natural surroundings and light on materials, this boutique hotel comprises the epitome in eco-architecture. But beware! It costs a hefty €300 to spend a night.

An award-winning design, Juvet became a reality when Knut Slinning, its owner, discovered that the Norwegian government was spending a boatload of money to renovate portions of the country’s National Tourist Route. He then commissioned Jensen & Skodvin to construct ten mini-rooms out of soft, fast-growing pine on what was an old farm property, each with at least one wall of glass to emphasize connectedness with nature.

The hotel explores whether it is possible to build in nature without a huge footprint, and the rooms are practically bare on the inside save for a lamp, bed, and a couple of chairs. Although the bathrooms are painted canary-yellow, there are no wall hangings or other objects that detract from the spectacular scenery. Finally, the cabins are built on stilts to enable easy removal should that need arise, since, as Mr. Slinning notes, “we are only guests of nature.”

World's "First Floating Village" Unveiled by Baca Architects and ZM Architecture Design for Glasgow

 Baca Architects and ZM Architecture have teamed up with Floating Concepts to design what has been dubbed the world’s first “floating leisure village” at Canting Docks in Glasgow. The Scottish city—in which the docklands once served as a major industrial hub—has seen significant urban renewal in recent years and the mixed-use floating development could add to the city’s appeal. Plans for the location, which lies just off the River Clyde, include a boat-sharing facility, an 80-100 room pod hotel, single-family homes as well as a cafe and theater— much of which will utilize renewable energy.

The £30 million floating development is located directly adjacent to the Glasgow Science Center at the Pacific Quay, and will form a key part of the larger Clyde Waterfront redevelopment. Previous projects considered for that development include the ZM Architecture-designed solar power-generating floating lily pads. The Canting Basin development is designed around a floating horseshoe-shaped promenade, and public amenities at the development will include a public marina, an 80-100 bed pod hotel and a cafe and theater with rooftop seating. The hotel is comprised of modular stacking units atop a floating base, which has been awkwardly described as having the appearance of “luxury shipping containers,” with large glass facades to provide dramatic views of the river. The sloped elliptical theater can reportedly rotate (with the help of a tug boat) to provide views of events both on the water and on land.

The village will also provide apartments, townhouses and office spaces for residents, with lightweight steel frames allowing for three-story floating structures. The residential buildings, designed by Dutch and Scandinavian architects, will be available on an off-the-peg basis, and range from 1000-3500 square feet. All are designed with glass facades for views of the water, along with space for balcony and ground-floor level gardens, while on the outer edge of the property plantings will provide a buffer for the properties. Heat exchangers will harness the water for climate control for the floating homes, while grey water will be filtered and recycled on site.

While a large numbers of boats buzzing around the marina may not be the most ecologically sensitive thing, the developer’s focus on a water-borne, peaceful and car-free community certainly has its appeal. Each of the residential units will have its own berth, while office workers and visitors will be able to take advantage of a boat-sharing program and additional moorings to “encourage the use of the river for recreation and transport.”

The project was approved by the Scottish Executive last year, and is currently slated for completion by 2020.

BIG's Connecting Greenland: AIR + PORT Exhibit Proposes a New Future for Greenland

Dream it and they shall come. That's the premise of the POSSIBLE GREENLAND exhibit at the 13^th Annual Architecture Exhibition of the Venice Biennale, headed by the Danish Architecture Centre and curated by Minik Rosing and Nord Architects. This exhibit seeks to explore the huge potential and some of the challenges that face Greenland, a place that has gotten global attention of late due to its natural resources and its position on climate change. BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) in collaboration with TENU, Julie Hardenberg and Inuk Silas Hogh created the Connecting Greenland: AIR + PORT portion of the POSSIBLE GREENLAND exhibit. The architects propose creating a multi-modal transportation hub for domestic and international travel just south of Nuuk, the capital.

Currently, Greenland residents rely heavily on air travel to get around, but are plagued by empty flights and staggering prices. BIG and its cohorts are proposing to address this domestic problem with a global solution. The Greenland Transport Commission identified the island of Augisunnguaq, south of Nuuk, as a potential new hub for connecting Greenland domestically and internationally by air and by water. But Connecting Greenland: AIR + PORT isn’t just about creating a new piece of transportation infrastructure. It proposes a variety of programs and mixed uses for the area as the genesis of a new paradigm of efficient transportation and vibrant public programs that would benefit the whole country. This holistic solution is what Bjarke Ingels calls Social Infrastructure.

This vision is part of Greenland’s attempt to position itself at the center of major world economies like Europe, Asia and America. Instead of positioning itself as a back-water in harsh and inaccessible part of the world, Greenland wants to explore its potential as a transit hub between Europe and America – increasing potential transit tourism while at the same time cutting costs for local commuters.

Other parts of the POSSIBLE GREENLAND exhibit include Cultivating Greenland, Inhabiting Greenland and Migrating Greenland, exploring the multiple aspects of the country as a way to work towards a more prosperous and connectedglobal future.