Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jul 01, 2025

A Swedish Summer Cabin That Sits  Above and Among the Trees

A Swedish Summer Cabin That Sits Above and Among the Trees

Perched on stilts, a minimal timber-frame cabin rises in Sweden's Archipelago.

Hovering above the treetops on the island of Viggsö, a serene cabin sits perched into a stone cliff, its pale timber frame and translucent, silvery roof blending into the fog and vegetation of the Swedish Archipelago, a landscape marked by wild bent pine trees, heather, and a lichen-covered forest floor.



On Viggsö, an island of the Swedish Archipelago, architecture firm Arrhov Frick designed a two-story retreat, using simple but hardy materials. The timber frame is made of pine; the roof is made of corrugated metal and fiber-reinforced plastic.

Designed by Stockholm-based architecture firm Arrhov Frick, the two-story retreat was designed for a family of five, who spend their long, warm summer days here. "The materiality of the house had to be efficiently transported and assembled on the island, yet able to withstand relatively large spans," says principal Johan Arrhov, who led the design with his partner, Henrik Frick.

Despite working with a challenging, rugged site and on a tight budget, "it was a fun and relaxed process-a lot of creative freedom, and no stress," says Arrhov, who attributes the smooth process to his clients, with whom he had been well-acquainted for some time. "We just had to do this construction in the right way," he says. "The process started by spending some time discovering the site, rocks, and vegetation until we found the right spot. Then the house developed from there."



The roof portion made of corrugated fiber-reinforced plastic hangs above deck, which measures roughly 215 square feet and overlooks views of the water.



The open-plan interior measuring roughly 430 square feet, with a bedroom and a living room with wood-burning stove on the ground level, and a lofted level above it.

Structured by glue lam beams and wooden studs, all specified in pine, topped with a corrugated metal roof, which alternates to a corrugated fiber-reinforced plastic, above the terrace-all ingredients from "an old receipt from the 1950s," adds Arrhov. Though the structure is stick-built, he notes, the design adapts simple and hardy, standardized parts where possible, which helped keep costs and transportation logistics feasible.



A simple timber frame and wide expanses of glass enhance the structure's connection to Viggsö's varied terrain, marked by rocky cliffs, wild-bent pine trees, heather, and lichen.

Construction took eight months, and was completed earlier this June-just in time for Sweden's famous Midsummer's Day, a peak reprieve from the country's long and harsh winters, and a celebration of its brief but intensely jubilant summers, where evenings dim only to a prolonged twilight. "The foundation, a series of posts, minimizes the buildings impact on the ground conditions, while elevating it among the trees and vegetation," says Arrhov. "The client always had this dream of one day building a house here."



Though a clear celebration of Sweden's intense but fleeting summer seasons, the cabin is used year-round, and was constructed in eight months.



The cabin features an open-plan organized around three main areas: The deck, living area, and bedroom and bath. The lofted level (right) includes another bedroom.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
OpenAI Secures Multimillion-Dollar AI Contracts with Pentagon, India, and Grab
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Elon Musk Critiques Senate Budget Proposal Over Job Losses and Strategic Risks
Los Angeles Riots ended with Federal Investigations into Funding
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Education Secretary Announces Overhaul of Complaints System Amid Rising Parental Grievances
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Trump Ends Trade Talks with Canada Over Digital Services Tax
UK Government Softens Welfare Reform Plans Amid Labour Party Rebellion
Labour Faces Rebellion Over Disability Benefit Reforms Ahead of Key Vote
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Host Lavish Wedding in Venice Amid Protests
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
North Korea to Open New Beach Resort to Boost Tourism Economy
UK Labour Party Faces Internal Tensions Over Welfare Reforms
Andrew Cuomo Hints at Potential November Comeback Amid Democratic Primary Results
Curtis Sliwa Champions His Vision for New York City Amid Rising Crime Concerns
Federal Reserve Proposes Changes to Capital Rule Affecting Major Banks
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Trump Escalates Criticism of Media Over Iran Strike Coverage
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
Big Four Accounting Firms Fined in Exam Cheating Scandal
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
Australia's Star Casino Secures $195 Million Rescue Package Amid Challenges
UK to Enhance Nuclear Capabilities with Acquisition of F-35A Fighter Jets
Russian Shadow Payments via Cryptocurrency Reach $9 Billion
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
×