Kragerø Spa & Resort
HIDE INFO| Type of project | Architecture |
| Location | Kragerø - Norway |
| Owner/Builder | Kragerø Golf AS and Kruse Smith AS |
| Size | 20 000 m² |
| Finishing year | 2007 |
| Architect | LundHagem Arkitekter Einar Hagem, Svein Lund, Per Suul, Vegar Voraa, Pål Ring Giske, Lucas Martins and Sam Hughes. |
| Parts with Kebony | Cladding |
| Special challenges | Aesthetics, ecological, durable, low maintenance |
| Competition | First prize in closed competition, 2004 |
Spas are a quite new phenomenon in Norway, and have only recently been defined with its own architectural language: Lund Hagem Architects from Oslo have shown the “Norwegian way” by designing Kragerø Spa & Hotel Resort.
The plot was already decided when the architects started their work. The spahotel was to be built in the hillside of a very undulate and wooded area. This added an extra sting of challenge, as the large project should contain more than 230 rooms and separate apartments, preferably with a view, it should also have a full spa department, in addition to an easily accessible 18-hole golf course.
The architects found the solution in building the hotel as a semi-levelled quadrate, constructed on and in the small hill towards the fjord, with the landscape and parts of the golf course drawn in underneath the body of the construction. This way they could meet the demands of a main view towards the picturesque village of Kragerø, facing north, at the same time as the apartments should be facing south to get maximum benefit from the sun.
The buildings are semi-transparent, built in different, separate levels. Some of them have been drawn into the terrain and “disguised” with traditional grass roofing. An all-year-outdoor spa area has been possible using open facades in addition to outdoor sauna, pool and jacuzzis. The pool continues from the indoor part and out in the open, and you can literarily swim on the edge of the hill.
- It was very interesting to design a project this size into the landscape. It was almost like creating a small town, says architect Einar Hagem.
Kragerø Spa & Resort Hotel has set an example of how to combine a natural choice of high quality materials, in creating a quiet and relaxing environment for many people at the same time. The appearance is light, natural, Nordic and elegant.
Mr. Einar Hagem, Lund Hagem Architects:
- The aesthetics were extraordinarily important in this project.
Kebony patinates slightly differently than other wood and seems more even.
Kebony gets a very nice weathered grey colour after some time outdoor, and the tone of the wood in the indoor areas keep astonishingly well. Normally the shadows in other faded woods turn out a bit unfortunate in the course of time, whereas the fading of Kebony is more gradual and more beautiful.
Kebony is very interesting when it comes to combining with other materials. As you can see from this project Kebony wood easily combines with eg. stone, steel, glass and other woods.
The environmental aspect is evident. It becomes more and more important in everything we do, and is soon to be obvious in all aspects of life. It becomes increasingly interesting to build houses and building that does not poison anyone…