There’s a rush of excitement as we glance at the outline of one of the five-sided wooden cabins between the pine trees, standing on a column a few metres above the ground at the edge of the outcrop. The three new cabins designed by architect firm Snøhetta are now ready to offer guests an experience of nature far beyond the ordinary.

The weather is wet and windy as we park the car at dusk on a winter’s day, a few dozen kilometres from Stavanger in Fjord, Norway. The atmosphere becomes increasingly magical as we leave the car and walk the narrow, under-lit walkway.

You get a real sense of hovering high above one of Norway’s most beautiful fjords. With its distinctive design and location by the Lysefjord, The Bolder has become one of Norway’s most remarkable places to stay. All that’s behind it are the sky and fjord.

Hovering over the Lysefjord.

Our eyes are drawn to the enormous panoramic window looking out towards the Lysefjord – like a landscape taken straight out of a painting. The door to the right is to a bathroom, which lives up to our expectations of sky-high standards. In front of us is a beautiful, inviting double bed with panoramic windows on two sides and views over the Lysefjord.

The high ceiling makes you feel that the sky and the lodge are at one. Next to that is a narrow, steep and elegant staircase that leads up to the floor above, which has a modern and well-equipped kitchen. The views from the panoramic window are breathtaking. There’s only air below us, and it feels like we’re hovering high above the fjord with no one else around.

The hairs on the back of our necks stand up as we open the door to the lodge. Talk about hitting the jackpot. Wow, this is exclusive.

The bolder just got even bolder.

What developed from the slightly wild brainchild of printer and founder Tom B. Norland soon became known as one of Norway’s most remarkable places to stay. They are 40% larger, have an even higher standard, and are more at one with nature in terms of their location and the choice of materials,’ says Norland.

The meeting between unique architecture and nature was the starting point for further developing the project The Bolder Starlodge.‘The new Starlodges build on the experience we gained from the first two lodges we built. The first two lodges, called The Bolder Skylodge, have been a massive success.

Two of the lodges are located right on the edge, which gives guests a unique sense of hovering in and being at one with nature and the elements.

Experience shows that 80% of the guests have been couples, so the new lodges only have one double bed. They are designed as high-quality accommodations for people who want to enjoy nature, the views and each other. You can drive up to the lodges, so the accommodation is accessible throughout the year.

It’s a new way of experiencing nature and seeing one of Norway’s finest fjords. These lodges are unique.

‘Staying in these lodges does something to you’. Norland continues that the experience is perhaps most magical in the autumn, winter and spring.

Quality and respect in every detail.

What excited us about this project was the commitment to quality, luxury, and the desire to create something in harmony with nature, says Frank Denis Foray, the project manager at Snøhetta who worked on The Bolder Starlodge.

The eye for detail, quality and nature inspired the renowned Norwegian architecture firm Snøhetta to take on The Bolder project.

‘It’s not often we get to work on projects on such a small scale as this one, but it’s been a significant and exciting project for us. Creativity and a shared interest in and respect for nature meant the collaboration quickly came to fruition.

We usually try to find clients with a vision and leave room for the creative process. It’s been challenging but positive.

The architects at Snøhetta rented a motorhome for several days to get a sense of the place and devise a project that respects the landscape and shows consideration for mother nature. At the same time, “we wanted to use elements from the landscape in the design and let the mountain blend into the foundations and the rough style of the timber,” Foray continues. The idea was to convey a sense of buildings standing free and for guests to feel alone in nature.

We saw a unique possibility with the network of paths and the landscape. We wanted to make the smallest possible footprint in what we did, and we had to remain mindful throughout the process.

The chair you never want to leave.

The timber is from the same type of trees surrounding the lodges, and the choice of interior materials creates a sense of being sheltered, which shows respect for the landscape in which the lodges are situated. The lodges are lofty, and the light creates a unique sense of space.

When you sit in the chair on the first floor and rest your legs on the small pouffe, you feel like you never want to get up again. The foundation on which the cabins ‘float’ uses rock from the granite mountain on which it rests. Everything has been carefully considered, from the choice of kitchen knives to the type of wood used for the furniture.

You can cook what you fancy, eat breakfast around the small table with four chairs, or relax. The unique comfort combined with the atmosphere in the room let your mind wander.

There is real quality in every last detail. Everything oozes quality, with brands that include Vipp, Expo Nova and Eikund.

In touch with nature.

When the founder and Snøhetta describe the lodges as being ‘in harmony with nature’, it doesn’t just mean that the buildings have a unique connection to the landscape, that the choice of materials is well considered, or that the buildings leave a minimal footprint in the landscape. Staying a night or two in the small lodges promises a rare experience of nature and the opportunity to experience Norwegian fjord landscapes in a new way.

The intention behind the lodges is to allow guests to enjoy the beautiful nature around them. What’s important is that the experience lasts for twenty-four hours, that it’s a place where you can enjoy high standards while living in and with nature. A network of paths in the area leads to viewpoints where you can enjoy views of the fjord landscape in various ways.

One of the paths is part of a new route to Preikestolen (the Pulpit Rock), which is accessible to all. That’s the feeling we were going for and which I hope we’ve achieved,’ concludes Foray from Snøhetta.

Put everything else on hold.

If you’re in a relationship, it’s an excellent place for good conversation; if you’re alone, it’s a great place to find yourself.
Few people have had the opportunity to set foot in one of the newly built cabins. From the response so far, The Bolder may be about to become an even bigger attraction than the founders initially envisioned.

I would sacrifice a lot of other holidays to experience this place. You can’t help being drawn into the ‘here and now,’ and you don’t want to be anywhere else. It’s the time-out that everyone needs and that many are seeking. Everything else is put on hold.

The three new cabins, The Bolder and Starlodge, are now available for booking and will receive guests from 1 February 2023.

 

 

Written by: William Trevan

 

 

 

 

 

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