Villa Norbye

House by the Forest

Villa Norbye is located at the meeting point between forest and city. The house explores the tension between the near and the distant, the intimate and the exposed, and brings together elements from both the urban villa and the forest cabin.

Site-specific adaptation has been a key premise for the project. The substantial single-family home has a modest footprint that follows the outline of the former building on the site. The architecture draws inspiration from post-war single-family houses, which are typical of the Kringsjå area. Dialogue with the City Antiquarian has therefore been an important part of the process.

The concept explores a playful composition of volumes, staggered in relation to one another beneath a precise gabled roof form. A base, or plinth, of in-situ cast sandwich concrete is recessed into the terrain and contains the entrance, storage, and bedrooms. Living spaces, kitchen, and the main bedroom are located in the second-floor timber structure, giving them orientation both toward the forest and the fjord view.

The combination of exposed concrete and black-stained timber cladding creates a natural expression that harmonizes with both the surrounding buildings and the landscape. Inside, untreated solid oak is used in combination with wool textiles and dark brick. This creates a safe and warm interior that frames the experience of the wild nature—both the forest and the fjord.

Functions and rooms on both levels are organized around an open and airy stairwell, featuring a continuous brick wall running from the plinth to the roof. The stairwell guides movement from the entrance and the city, inward and upward toward the forest, and back out toward the fjord. At the same time, it separates the kitchen and living spaces so they feel sheltered, yet remain connected via the “bridge.”

The single-family house is constructed with durable and robust materials. The floor plan makes the home suitable for various family configurations, while preserving the site-specific qualities and experiences. Solar panels integrated into the standing-seam metal roof, combined with geothermal heating and highly insulated façades, result in an energy-efficient house.