"Resort" Manshausen is located on the islet of Manshousen only half a kilometer long, but the mainland is nearby - through a very narrow strait. Geographically, it is the Steigen commune of the Nordland province, and less than a hundred years ago, the island was part of the Grötøy trading post, where fishermen returning from fishing could sell their catch. Since that time, an old farm and stone piers have remained on the island. They formed the basis of the first stage of the hotel, which the polar explorer Børge Ousland opened in 2015. Bureau Stinessen Arkitektur restored the house, arranging there a kitchen, a restaurant, and on the second floor - a library, and opened it towards the Lofoten Islands, and the pavilions-rooms on stilts posted on the berths.
The same architects worked on Manshausen 2.0, but they faced a more difficult task. The polar nature is very fragile, and even small damages in the moss layer take years to recover. Steigen also has many valuable species of flora and fauna, such as a uniquely large population of white-tailed eagles. At the same time, there were no more man-made objects for secondary use: they had to be introduced into the natural environment. Rocky ledges on the shore were chosen as a place for the construction of new houses-rooms: from the land side, they touch the ground, and then rise on supports and act as consoles above the water.
Panoramic glazing from the sea side allows you to be alone with nature around the clock, staying in shelter: the climate here is distinguished by frequent and abrupt weather changes, severe storms, which add spectacular panoramas, but not always safe. A well thought-out plan made it possible to place sleeping places for 4-5 people on 30 m2, a kitchen and a dining room, a comfortable bathroom, as well as a spacious storage room where you can place luggage and any equipment: people come here to go kayaking, diving, mountaineering - mountains not far from coast, skiing.
The second stage also included a sauna on a rock ledge next to an outdoor saltwater pool. All of it was built from recycled materials: slate tiles were taken from the ruins of old buildings, wood and glass were left from the first stage.
The proximity of the sea made the construction of the rooms a more responsible task: the strength of the wind, the height of the waves, the possible rise in the level of the world ocean, as well as the spectacular views and protection of the interior from prying eyes were taken into account. The salty environment and extreme climate have determined the choice of aluminum sheets as cladding, but the main material is cross-laminated timber (CLT), obtained during the process of compensated cuttings of pine trees. The custom-made glazing is devoid of traditional frame structures. In the interior, in addition to wood, natural linoleum is used. All parts of the building were designed to be assembled by hand, without the use of heavy equipment, so that it does not harm the vegetation.
Even before the opening of the resort, the island was connected to the power grid, but Ousland wants to make it autonomous in the near future: so, all garbage is recycled on site, water is purified. Guests eat vegetables grown on the newly developed plots, jam from berries picked right there. Bread is supplied by a bakery nearby, fish and seafood are brought in by local fishermen. Manshousen has no plastic - neither on land nor under water: this is the first Norwegian island of its kind.
