The words “Finnish log home” rightfully bring to mind a four-walled, weather-beaten cabin with reindeer in the yard and a sauna-in-a-barrel out back.
But strike that for a moment and have a gander at the Wave House, a recent dwelling by architect Seppo Mäntylä that keeps the best parts of a Finnish log cabin (sauna, wood construction, picturesque locale) while turning the whole rustic aesthetic thing on its head.
Taking inspiration from the curvature of boats and airplanes, as cited in ArchDaily, Mäntylä partnered with longtime wood-home builders Polar Life Haus to realize this radical new design. It paid off, winning Best House, Best Interior and Best Garden in the 2017 Finnish Housing Fair.
Wave House (8 images)
Polar Life Haus here supplements their bread-and-butter material (Finnish spruce) with glass and steel, most notably in the floor-to-ceiling windows that look out from the kitchen and living room onto an expansive patio and the water beyond. The massive undulated surfaces over the garage and patio, the latter of which provides cover for an outdoor hot tub, also reflect their aquatic environment.
Natural wood covers large swaths of the exterior as well the majority of the surfaces inside, with some whitewashed to keep the interior more Ex Machina and less Cabin Fever. That motif also extends to the glass-enclosed fireplace, minimalist bath and — of course — the classic Finnish sauna.
Let the cabin renovation plans begin.
Photos: Studio Hans Koistinen
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