Kettukallio, a lakeside cabin in Finland

Finnish firm, Playa Architects, designed Kettukallio, a holiday house in the lakes zone of Hirvensalmi, 220 km northeast of Helsinki. A building that engages with the location’s explosive nature.



Designing with local materials and in harmony with the environment. This seems to be one of the basics of Scandinavian architecture and the Kettukallio project by Finnish firm, Playa architects in Hirvensalmi, is tangible proof of this.



It sits in the extraordinary countryside of the lakes to the north of Helsinki, where the forest and the lake dominate the scene, and the cabin designed by Veikko Ojanlatva and Tuukka Vuori – founders of Playa Architects – is an almost natural response to the location, without attempting to camouflage or hide itself.





A patio separates the house into the large living zone and the smaller bedrooms; the interiors feature timber throughout, most of which is untreated, and includes birch, pine and common alder. The floors are covered in pine boards cut perpendicular to the tree rings and sourced locally from the family’s sawmill.





Unlike the traditional Finnish sauna that is a separate building, here it is actually connected to the home by a covered patio to make access easier. In any case, the position of the cabin means it’s a short walk to the lake for a refreshing dip, and in winter occupants can gaze over the lake through large windows, while the forest façade is relatively closed.





The pitch black exterior of Kettakullio contrasts with the light wood interior, and ensures that it will age well in the harsh climate – an invitation to enjoy the unique nature of the Finnish lakes, and not just in Summer.

(Christiane Bürklein)

project: Playa Architects http://www.playa.fi/
photos: Tuomas Uusheimo (www.tuomasphoto.com)
location: Hirvensalmi, Finland
completion: 2010