TYIN Tegnestue Architects, founded by the Norwegian duo Yashar Hanstad and Andreas Grøntvedt Gjertsen, has just completed its third project using Kebony’s sustainable alternative to tropical wood. Situated in Arne Garborgsveg, Trondheim, this recent project is a contemporary private house, adding to the architects’ growing portfolio which also includes a renovated boathouse and a children’s play shelter.
The firm’s projects thus far have been focused in its homeland and attempt to challenge the boundaries of contemporary building by the simplicity of their design, a principle which informs the design of all their projects to the core. The house is something of a statement given its setting in an otherwise very traditional Norwegian neighbourhood. The Trondheim house involved working in strict accordance with the building code and regulations on Norwegian soil; walls are 30cm thick and the roofs 50cm.
The architects’ previous project, the play shelters, took the form of small meeting modules placed close to a school in Oppland, made from Kebony Scots Pine. The shelters were conceived to increase social interaction and encourage activity among children; they were designed with help from the children.
Another recent project from Tegnestue is the boathouse, located on the outermost reaches of the Møre-coast in an old fishing area. The boathouse was redesigned for summertime recreational use. The original boathouse had to be torn down but many of the original materials were used to reduce the buildings impact on the environment and reflect some of its original heritage. The boathouse is clad in Kebony, which acquires a silver grey patina over time, complementing the old materials used throughout the rest of the building.
Yashar Hanstad from TYIN said: ‘We value Kebony as it is a Norwegian wood and it is important to us that the process used to create it is environmentally friendly. Its low maintenance and the silver patina it develops over time are extremely appealing for our projects. This patina is particularly pertinent for the boathouse restoration project as the silver-grey colour reflects the fragility of the building and helps camouflage it in its natural and remote setting.’
