Snøhetta is responsible for the design of the new Tungestølen Turisthytte, a large, pentagonal timber tourist cabin on Norway’s Jostedalsbreen Glacier.
If you love hiking in the wilds of nature, Norway is a treasure trove of unforgettable experiences. Tungestølen, on the Jostedalen Glacier plateau, previously offered hikers an old refuge, which was destroyed in 2011 by Cyclone Dagmar. In 2015, Snøhetta won an international architecture competition – organized by Luster Turlag (a branch of the Norwegian National Trekking Association) and the nearby village of Veitastrond – for a new complex.
Snøhetta’s design comprises nine sturdy angular, pentagonal hiker’s cabins, with glulam frames covered by CLT sheeting and pine cladding. The outward-facing walls have been angled to minimize the effect of the strong winds that sweep up from the valley floor. Inside, the multi-angled shape of the cabins frames the surrounding mountains and valleys through angular, panoramic windows.
The main cabin at Tungestølen is a welcoming space for group meals around large wooden tables. At its highest point, the ceiling is 15 feet (4.6 m), creating a meeting place with panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. The main cabin also has a comfortable loungeroom built around a large stone-finish fireplace.
At present, the remaining cabins include a dormitory and a smaller private unit, which offer sleeping accommodation for around 30 people. Once all nine cabins are completed, Tungestølen will be able to accommodate up to 50 visitors. One of the last cabins to be built will use the original design for the Fuglemyrhytta cabin, designed by Snøhetta in Oslo, which has become an enormously popular hiking destination since it opened in 2018.
Tungestølen