Maatulli School, designed by Fors Arkitekter, in Helsinki is described as a ’forest school’ in an urban setting. Set within a park in a Helsinki suburb, the school comprises several wooden buildings that jointly surround a circular green courtyard known as the ‘Forest Glade’. The soft curves of the round walls facing the courtyard contribute to the fluid transition between inside and outside, as does the extensive use of blonde wood inside the buildings. The plants and trees grown in the courtyard and park are directly inspired by and reflect the local forests, enhancing the students’ connection with nature. In other details, the minimal use of hard paving enables natural water drainage – and the entire setting is designed to encourage students to arrive by bicycle rather than by car.
Maatulli School in Helsinki, designed by Fors Arkitekter.
Danish architects are increasingly going back to incorporating atriums into single-family detached houses. While this is obviously a premium solution, it has great benefits: it allows the indoor rooms to open up on the outdoors on several sides at once. And in newbuilds, the atrium gives residents their very own, attractive and entirely private outdoor space from day one. In the example given here from Architects Nørrebo Frandsen ApS, the use of softly coloured brickwork and wooden cladding enhances the sense of connection with nature. The atrium is formed by the outlines of the home and its garage – and sliding doors let the residents close off the space entirely for maximum privacy.
If you were lucky enough to have a treehouse as a child, we congratulate you! If you want to recreate that special sense of secrecy and solitude only a treehouse can bring, the Nordic countries have a growing number of such retreats to offer: they are becoming increasingly popular as ways to experience nature without sacrificing modern comfort. The Trakt forest suites are not built in actual trees, but raised on stilts, creating the feeling of floating in the middle of the forest. The comfortable interiors are kept deliberately sparse to keep the occupants’ attention focused on the main star of the show, which is framed by generously proportioned windows: the natural scenery outside.
This is one of the most spectacular instances of being immersed in nature we have ever tried. The aptly named restaurant ‘Under’ in southern Norway, not far from Kristiansand, is quite literally under water. Stepping down into the underwater dining area is a truly spectacular experience, bringing you close to an aspect of nature we rarely get to see: marine life. While the setting is probably the main draw for most visitors, the food does not disappoint: The Michelin-starred cuisine is a set tasting menu of great sophistication, creating a truly memorable experience.
Stepping down into the underwater dining area is a truly spectacular experience, bringing you close to an aspect of nature we rarely get to see: marine life.
Restaurant ‘Under’ in southern Norway, not far from Kristiansand, is quite literally under water.
For our final entry, we take a different perspective. While the previous examples have focused on bringing nature into architecture, examples of the opposite movement also exist: architecture that is specifically placed in nature to enhance our experience of it. In Denmark, a prominent example is the 45-metre Forest Tower on Zealand. This spectacular structure, made from oak and Corten steel, takes visitors high up above the forest for some truly spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. A pivotal aspect of the award-winning architecture is the narrow part in the middle, where visitors can quite literally touch the top of the trees growing inside the structure. As you walk up and down the tower, the sensation of nature’s grandeur is very palpable: even those who are unafraid of heights will feel the visceral response to seeing the forest from a whole new perspective.
A prominent example is the 45-metre Forest Tower on Zealand made from oak and Corten steel.
The Danish Architecture Center in Copenhagen hosts regular exhibitions on a range of themes, from Danish design classics to pressing challenges shaping the way we build today. For example, their current exhibition Recycle! explores how architecture can embrace circular principles by reusing materials, repurposing existing structures, and minimizing waste. Of particular interest for our purposes here is their upcoming exhibition, Age of Nature, opening on October 6. It specifically explores ‘the relationship between architecture, nature, people and biodiversity’ – and how we might create architecture that actively nurtures nature.
The Danish Architecture Center in Copenhagen
