Maidla Nature Villa
MAIDLA NATURE VILLA
B210 Architects
ARCHITECTS
B210 Architects
PROJECT TEAM
Mari Hunt, Aet Ader, Karin Tõugu, Kadri Klementi
MANUFACTURERS
Grohe, Thermory, Cinderella Incineration Toilets, Romotop, Schuco
ARCHITECT
Mari Hunt
ENGINEER
Production House
BUILDER
Otto Ehitab
PHOTOGRAPHS
Tõnu Tunnel, Priidu Saart
AREA
28 m2
YEAR
2020
LOCATION
Maidla, Estonia
CATEGORY
Cabins & Lodges
Text description provided by the architects.
Inspired by wild nature, placed on the edge of a bog, this building is nothing like your regular hotel room.
It is located among birch trees, with bogland flooding knee-deep during high water – making it possible to start a canoe trip straight from the terrace. A boardwalk leads to the terrace in front of the elevated house.
The entire house is covered with terraces – a lower morning terrace, gigantic steps leading to the roof, and the night terrace at the height of the treetops, for enjoying the sunset, stargazing, and birdwatching.
The house is intended for 1-2 visitors at a time, offering maximum comfort and privacy – it isn’t visible from anywhere apart from the boardwalk.
The sharp angles of the building’s triangular shapes blend into the surrounding bogland forest, due to its dark brown ash walls.
The minuscule Maidla hotel is situated on the site of an old manor, allowing guests to explore historical buildings and a picturesque landscape.
The tiny treehouse-inspired building is a short walk away from the historical site, tucked inside the forest edge, to fit the Client’s brief of a private hideaway in as much touch with nature as possible.
Mari Hunt, the architect of the villa, believes that the hotel manages to capture something that’s of critical importance in today’s Europe:
“We tried to create a space that would remind people of their connection to nature, the fragility and value of this link that is already disappearing in many places.”
The house is built around birch trees, with the goal of not causing them any harm, elevated 1m above the ground, and driven into the soft soil with 7m long screws.
To fit the delicate plot best, the shape of the house is irregular, divided into several triangles, circling around the bed area. An unusual floor plan allows for a convenient entrance with a storm porch.
The triangular bedroom, facing wild nature, provides panoramic views of the scenic bogscape.
The fireplace forms the focal point and space can be divided by drapes into several functions – a bedroom and a separate work or rest area with small sofas. A small bathroom includes floor-to-ceiling mirrors and an incineration toilet.
The area under the steps leading to the roof accommodates unheated maintenance space for equipment.
The façade, roof, and terraces of the building are covered in a single monochrome material: dark, durable thermo-treated ash, with the goal to make the structure as low-maintenance as possible.
As the house is located on a difficult-to-reach edge of the bog, any future repairs/construction work would require special logistics, thus making maximum durability highly desirable.
All used materials are locally-sourced as much as possible. The interior of the tiny hotel is meticulously considered in the same style as the exterior – with the goal to blend in with nature, offer comfort and quality in materials.
Careful attention to detail is paid at every step, from ceramics down to the bathrobes.
