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Saltviga House: A Coastal Norway Home Built (Almost) Entirely With Dinesen Flooring Scraps

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Zero WasteIssue 24 — Midsummer

Saltviga House: A Coastal Norway Home Built (Almost) Entirely With Dinesen Flooring Scraps

Johan Dehlin June 10, 2024

At first glance, Saltviga House looks like a minimalist, shingled vacation home perched atop a rocky bluff on Norway’s southern coast—but the exterior cladding is so much more complex than it seems. Zoom in and you’ll see over 20,000 stainless steel screws and not a single traditional shingle. Each piece of wood on the outside is actually leftover German oak from Dinesen‘s flooring factory; on the inside, it’s all imperfect Douglas fir planks. Yes, the entire house was built with scraps.

This impressive architectural feat is the work of Stockholm-based studio Kolman Boye Architects. Founders Erik Kolman Janouch and Victor Boye Julebäk had previously collaborated with the sustainability-minded Danish flooring brand, so the duo had a feeling they would be on board. “They’re very keen on using all of the trees in their projects,” Erik says of Dinesen. “They want to use everything from the trunk so nothing is wasted. So for them, this was like a godsend. They loved the idea.”

Convincing the homeowners of the plan was easy, too, since they were given the opportunity to purchase Dinesen’s high-quality materials for a fraction of the price. And while they ended up spending more on labor to transform discarded wood into evenly sized pieces for the facade, they still came out on top with a one-of-a-kind, eco-friendly house that’s in harmony with its rugged surrounds.

Let’s take a tour.

Photography by Johan Dehlin.

kolman boye architects didn&#8\2\17;t want to disrupt the rough, wild lands 17
Above: Kolman Boye Architects didn’t want to disrupt the rough, wild landscape, so they made sure the structure would blend in with the boreal forest. “It’s a hidden house, in a way,” says Erik. “It disappears nicely because of this camouflage facade. It looks so natural and it has the same color as the bark of these trees. If you go by boat and you pass outside, you barely see the house.”
the oak exterior will continue to silver and weather over time, helping it to f 18
Above: The oak exterior will continue to silver and weather over time, helping it to further fade into the environment. “The roof has already turned gray, so it sort of looks uniform in color,” says Erik. “But the facade has so many shades of brown and gray. It’s beautiful the way it ages. We wouldn’t expect that there are so many different colors in a piece of oak.”
in order to avoid altering the terrain, the home adheres to the organic slope o 19
Above: In order to avoid altering the terrain, the home adheres to the organic slope of the ground and steps down with it to create five levels. “It follows nature, because we don’t like when the house lifts a lot from the ground,” explains Erik. “We want it to be very close so that you can go out and, using a couple of steps, get down on the rocks or the grass.”
the structure is split into two volumes. one is for socializing, with a kitchen 20
Above: The structure is split into two volumes. One is for socializing, with a kitchen, dining area, and living room. The other includes the private spaces, like bedrooms and bathrooms. Both are outfitted with a large band of windows that offer expansive views of the sea.
a small section with its own pitched roof connects the two volumes. it features 21
Above: A small section with its own pitched roof connects the two volumes. It features sliding doors on both sides that can be manipulated to ventilate the interior and the back deck (which is intentionally protected from the coastal wind). “If it gets too hot behind the house, where you’re having your barbecue and you’re sitting, you can always open the doors a bit and the wind will go through, so it’s this perfect spot,” Erik says.
unlike typical shingles, the wood flooring leftovers are sawn, which exposes mu 22
Above: Unlike typical shingles, the wood flooring leftovers are sawn, which exposes much more of the grain. This makes for a beautiful look but may pose problems in the future. “They’re probably more prone to rot than normal shingles,” Erik admits. “We don’t know how this will work over time. Nobody knows. Nobody can really answer that question because it’s not a common way of doing these things.”
either way, covering the exterior in over \1\2,000 individual oak scraps from d 23
Above: Either way, covering the exterior in over 12,000 individual oak scraps from Dinesen’s floor production was a worthwhile and low-waste—though laborious—endeavor.
inside, kolman boye architects took a straightforward approach. &#8\2\20;ev 24
Above: Inside, Kolman Boye Architects took a straightforward approach. “Everybody felt that doing the facade was so much work and it took so much time and it was so complicated that maybe we should do something slightly simpler for the interior,” says Erik. “Dinesen scouted around the lumber yard, and they found some Douglas fir planks that had been sitting there for a long time. They were not wide enough. They’re kind of off-cuts.”
the douglas fir flooring appears on the interior walls and ceilings, as well as 25
Above: The Douglas fir flooring appears on the interior walls and ceilings, as well as on the kitchen cabinets and backsplash, for a distinctly Scandinavian aesthetic.
ironically, there isn&#8\2\17;t actually wood flooring on the floors. & 26
Above: Ironically, there isn’t actually wood flooring on the floors. “It’s a bit of a joke that this is a house completely made of off-cuts from Dinesen’s floor production, but the only thing that is not Dinesen is the floor,” says Erik. “It becomes a bit too much to have wood on the floor as well. We used screed because it’s a very neutral setting for the walls and the ceiling.”
the stair treads, risers, and railing are, however, made of douglas fir. &# 27
Above: The stair treads, risers, and railing are, however, made of Douglas fir. “It becomes very elegant because it’s so simple,” Erik says. “We experiment in every project with the staircase. I love doing staircases. They are such a nice object.”
the windows intentionally capture the horizon. 28
Above: The windows intentionally capture the horizon.

N.B.: This post has been updated; the original story ran on August 13, 2023.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the Saltviga House made with?

The Saltviga House is made with Dinesen flooring scraps.

What is Dinesen flooring?

Dinesen flooring is high-quality wooden flooring made from carefully selected trees.

Why is the Saltviga House made with Dinesen flooring scraps?

The Saltviga House utilized Dinesen flooring scraps to create a unique and sustainable design.

How was the Saltviga House constructed using Dinesen flooring scraps?

The Saltviga House used the Dinesen flooring scraps to build walls, ceilings, cabinetry, and other structural elements.

Is the Saltviga House eco-friendly?

Yes, the use of Dinesen flooring scraps in the construction of the Saltviga House showcases sustainable and environmentally conscious design.

What other materials were used in the construction of the Saltviga House?

In addition to Dinesen flooring scraps, other materials such as glass, concrete, and steel were used in the Saltviga House construction.

Who designed the Saltviga House?

The Saltviga House was designed by Norm Architects.

Where is the Saltviga House located?

The Saltviga House is located in Denmark.

Can I use Dinesen flooring scraps for my own project?

Yes, Dinesen flooring scraps can be used for various creative projects and design applications.

Where can I purchase Dinesen flooring?

Dinesen flooring can be purchased directly from their website or through authorized dealers.

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