Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

Fall Under the Spell of This Remote Glass Cabin in Norway

Fall Under the Spell of This Remote Glass Cabin in Norway

This year-round mountain retreat is a spectacular escape in the Norwegian wilderness.

When Frode Danielsen invited his then-girlfriend Tone Beathe Øvrevoll on a holiday to Hallvardøy Island in northern Norway, little did he know that she would fall so deeply in love with the area that they would spend the next two years putting down roots on the remote island.

With the support of Danielsen’s family (who lived nearby) and the design expertise of award-winning architect Snorre Stinessen, the couple dove headfirst into creating the retreat of their dreams-and they even documented the entire process on Instagram.



Located on Hallvardøy Island, Efjord Cabin is a year-round retreat for the couple.



"Frode has a long family history on Hallvardøy Island (in Efjord). His father has a small house next door, and other family members live on an old farm and in some other cabins in close vicinity," shares Stinessen. "The father was also a massive help during the building process. It was truly a family project!"

"It’s actually a beautiful love story," says Stinessen. "These two people met at a grown-up age, each having their own children, and live on opposite sides of the country-Frode lives in Tromsø, Tone in Elverum-but this project became their place to meet and spend as much time together as possible." The couple recently married, and they spent their honeymoon at the Efjord Cabin.



Set on a concrete slab, the site-built cabin is strategically oriented to take advantage of passive solar conditions. Triple-glazed windows and thick insulation help reduce energy demands.



The clients also prioritized the use of local materials, labor, and products while preserving as much natural stone as possible.

The process of creating their dream cabin, however, was no easy task. First, the couple had to work with the Ballangen municipality to develop a completely new zoning plan for the undeveloped area. Once complete, they carefully selected a building site that was naturally flat, so as to minimize site disturbance. The site affords spectacular views of the fjord and mountains, optimal access to daylight, and privacy.



The north side of the cabin is mostly closed off for privacy.



Walls of triple-glazed glass surround the living room, which overlooks two of Norway's most challenging climbing peaks to the south.

"Connection to the place, site, and nature and the actual retreat from hectic daily life were perhaps the core elements they sought," notes Stinessen, who worked closely with his clients to create a sculptural retreat that not only amplifies the beauty of Efjord, but also exudes a sense of warmth to make the couple feel instantly at home.



The living room is furnished with Husk chairs by B&B Italia, a Tiki sofa from Fogia, and a Bolia lamp.



Designed for large gatherings, the open-plan living and dining area is free of columns and large enough to accommodate a nearly 11-foot-long dining table.



Birch veneer wraps the interior of the minimalist home, lending a sense of warmth.

Taking advantage of the site’s slight slope, Stinessen divided the 2,150-square-foot cabin into two parts: a larger two-story volume containing the bedrooms and sauna, and a smaller volume that houses the open-plan living areas located a few steps below.



"The two volumes are slightly offset to provide sheltered outdoor areas and views towards the fiord from the rear volume," says Stinessen.



The sauna interior is lined with hygroscopic aspen slats. One-way glass separates the sauna from the hallway and provides views out into the landscape.



A peek into one of the bathrooms with an aspen slatted ceiling. The bathroom connects directly to the sauna.

"The shape of the building is both a dialogue with the close natural formations, but also with the larger landscape. Its functional aspects create privacy and indoor/outdoor connections to different zones around the building," says Stinessen.



The cabin is sandwiched between two stone formations-a low ridge to the south and a higher ridge toward the north-that informed the shape of the building.



Approximately 14 tons of triple-pane glass was used for the cabin.

Stinessen relied primarily on locally sourced timber to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. Core pine treated with iron sulfate lends an even patina to the exterior cladding, and birch veneer clads the interior. Walls of glass frame breathtaking views of dramatic mountains in the south and the fjord to the west.



A glimpse of the birch-enveloped family den. In addition to the pictured open-riser stair, there is another set of stairs on the left (not pictured) that lead to the second floor.



A glass cutout on the floor of the upper level provides a glimpse of the hallway below.



The master bedroom features spectacular views of the fjord.

Asked about his favorite aspect of the project, Stinessen says: "It must be the integration with the landscape, both up close and from a distance."



Efjord Cabin floor plan

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
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
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
×