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THE OTHER SIDE NEIDEN, NORWAY |
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| ARCHITECTURE / INTERIOR DESIGN |
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| Birgitta Ralston and Alexandre Bau |
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Atop a plateau in Norway’s northern stretches, the Other Side strives to live up to its name with a view that seems to extend endlessly and a truly innovative concept. Swedish/French design duo Birgitta Ralston and Alexandre Bau based the resort’s architecture and building layout on the traditions of the local Sámi people, complete with shamanism and a sense of otherworldly magic. This inspiration is accompanied by an ultramodern interpretation of luxury that takes in as much of the unusual natural ambience as possible.
A panoramic view of the Neiden Plateau, near Norway’s borders with Russia and Finland, is bounded by the Barents Sea and the Neidenelven, a famous salmon river. The architecture is designed for maximum experience of and access to the extreme northern environment, from the northern lights in winter to the midnight sun in the summer; from viewing the surrounding tundra’s elk and reindeer to gliding in a sleigh behind a team of sled dogs. Twelve houses are laid out in groups of three, following a pattern based on a Sámi shaman drum. Each structure takes its inspiration from elemental forces: the Wind House is perched in the air, the Water House over a pond and the Fire House in front of an enormous ritual fireplace.
Each cluster is accompanied by a multi-storey bathhouse, which provides a fireplace, library and panoramic view of the countryside in addition to the facilities promised by its name. Russian design elements, connoted by crackling fireplaces and decadent fur accents, adorn the Goddess Suites as well as the Other Side of the Moon, the hotel’s innovative restaurant. The contrasts come alive most in the Goddess Suites, where a roaring fire plays off a sweeping vista of perfect Nordic placidity. |
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