ArchitectureRasmus Koivu, Tobias Schäfer, Fabian Engels, Siiri Jukkala

The History of Summer Cottages

Almost every Finn owns a summer cottage, or has owned one at some point.

In modern usage, a cottage is usually a modest, cozy and relaxing place.

For example cottages are often located in northern or rural locations. The Finnish cottage has always been a place to spend the summer close to nature and usually next to a lake or the sea.

In Germany the basic principle is the same, but they are very rare. For example you can find German cottages around the Bodensee.

Summer cottages in general

Cottages are usually pretty small, easy and practical because of the lack of technology.

They are located far away from everything else to provide privacy and easy living.

The main construction product is wood, and mostly piled out of logs.

Many cabins also have large windows for the ”close to nature” feeling.

Every Finnish cottage has a sauna.

Target group

The cottage is meant to built for young middel-class people, who are specially close to nature and interested in modern design.

Another point is that it is specially designed for enhancing holiday vacations.

Basic idea

Our basic idea is to build a kind of structure resembling a combination of modern Finnish and German cottage design.

Another main point of building a house in the forrest is to have it integrated into it's surrounding area. Aka an ”ecohouse”.

A basic summer cottage.

Outside Design

This is a good example of what kind of house we are trying to design.

It has large windows and wooden walls.

While it is ment for use in the summer, it will have a large roof window. This helps with heating in the summertime.

A crutial part will also be a terrace.

Interior Design

One large spacious room, which includes the living room, kitchen and dining room.

Parquet floor and big glass windows We also have a roof half out of ridged see-

through plastic and half of wood. It also has a moveable large solar panel

This panel can be move under the wood into shelter and under the plastic when the sun is shining.