48°Nord Landscape Hotel by Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter – Photo by ©11h45.
Architecture, Hotel – Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter has completed the 48°Nord landscape hotel comprising 14 hillside cabins in Breitenbach, in Alsace. Conceived a village framed by a picturesque natural landscape, then eco-hotel is inspired by Scandinavian practices and builds on the northeastern French region’s culinary, wellness and nature opportunities.
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Photo by ©11h45.
Heirs to the Norwegian hytte – a specific type of small countryside cottage that Norwegians typically use for weekend getaways -, “the 14 cabins dot the hillside like boulders on a slope, balancing privacy and outlook,” explains Reiulf Ramstad of Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter to Archipanic. The project is locally-sourced: untreated wood clads all volumes, combining only with large glass openings.
Photo by ©11h45.
All the buildings were planned with sustainability in mind. Each cabin is raised on stilts to minimise its impact on the landscape, and they are clad with untreated chestnut wood sourced just 500 metres away.
Interiors are minimal and rustic, qualified by the light-coloured wood, snug built-in furniture, framed views and spatial contrasts—perfectly embodying the Nordic concept of ‘hygge,’ the Scandinavian interiors concept of coziness.
Photo by ©11h45.
Warm timber interiors and comfortable proportions define the rooms. Here, large windows are accompanied by upholstered windows. Desks are built into staircase balustrades, while cupboards and bookshelves fill any gaps, ensuring no space is wasted.
Photo by © ©Yvan Moreau.
The main reception building also hosts a restaurant opening to landscape vistas and spa facilities. The culinary experience creatively takes from ancestral techniques and season-relevant tastes from nature – all sourced from nearby organic producers and the hotel’s own vegetable garden.
Photo by © ©Yvan Moreau.
Four types compose a family of forms with diverse qualities. Low Grass cabins, universally accessible, are grouped near the main building. Tree and Ivy cabins, towering and slender, combine verticality and elevated views. Lastly, Fjell cabins atop the hill welcome families with protected outdoor spaces.
Photo by © ©Yvan Moreau.
Local art and crafts are highlighted in dedicated exhibition spaces; wellness and year-round nature excursions complete the offer. 48° Nord was envisioned and commissioned by Franco-Danish entrepreneur and landscape architect Emil Leroy-Jönsson, together with Norwegian architect Reiulf Ramstad who teamed up local studio ASP Architecture.
Photo by ©11h45.
Photography by 11h45 – Courtesy of Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter.
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Photo by © ©Yvan Moreau.
Photo by ©11h45.
