THE WINNER | PUBLIC VOTE | UNIQUE: STOKKOYA SJOSENTER, NORWAY
First may we congratulate you on your excellent taste – our Unique category was chosen by You-The-People, and You-The-People chose well. At Norway's Stokkøya Sjøsenter imaginative modern design meets eco-chic beach living, with minimalist underground cabins making a brilliantly leftfield, bright and cosy beachside retreat. We caught up with Torild, one half of the sheep-farming husband-and-wife team behind Stokkøya Sjøsenter to find out the story behind this truly unique beach abode…
Where does the inspiration behind Stokkøya Sjøsenter come from?
We wanted to create a place where we ourselves wanted to stumble upon. Architecture-wise, it mostly came from traditional Norwegian fishing villages along the region's coast – but, of course, a new interpretation.
Where did the idea of going underground come from?
We wanted to keep as much of the landscape as possible intact – and the sand was easy to dig into. The underground concept also saves energy, as well as protecting the building from strong winds and snow.
They're not exactly your average beach houses. How and why do they work so well?
The conditions out here are sometimes very rough – salt, rain, wind, sun, sand and having the houses partly underground makes them extremely well protected; even in a hurricane you have a cosy spot inside.
We love the inside as much as the outside. What were you trying to create with the interior of the properties?
We worked with students of the School of Design and Craft, University of Gothenburg to create a special feel of each room. It's not the homely feel – home is home, but this is Stokkøya!
What's an average sort of a day for someone staying at Stokkøya Sjøsenter?
There no such thing as an average day at Stokkøya! You can go for a stroll, relax, eat, drink – just have a quiet day. Or you can fill it with different activities – diving, kayaking, walking, sailing, fishing, attending our food courses.
And then we can finish the day in one of the Dutch tubs that sit outside your beach bar…
A hot bath in a Dutch tub followed by a dip in the Atlantic is very nice. The Dutch tubs is especially perfect for us at winter time- sitting in a hot tub watching the stars, the northern lights, the storm, or whatever weather we have at the menu that day...
Book three nights in Stokkoya Sjosenter's double SUB unit through Beach Tomato and you'll exclusively receive a 15% discount.
Head off to Norway to live out your eco architectural dream. take advantage of Beach Tomato's exclusive offer, simply click below and a beach expert will be in touch soon.
Terms and Conditions: This exclusive offer is availlable to Beach Tomato readers for all bookings made by 31st October.
