SUNSTONE RETREAT

The Sunstone Retreat is an exclusive extension of the Vogafjos Farm, located in Iceland. The retreat is named after a mythical icelandic crystal that is thought to have been the navigational tool used by Vikings to find the direction of the sun, and by taking this name it becomes a place where one can find light, peace of mind and clarity.

The concept, around which the project is designed, is the relationship and interplay between lines curves and materials. The separation between private and shared space is of crucial importance, considering that the resort will host celebrity status guests, which is why the main building containing the reception, storage, living area and kitchen is apart from the rooms, which are themselves quasi-individually standing volumes. A curved wall made of natural stones found in the area defines the shared spaces, as well as the entrance of the resort. Responding to this gesture, the disposition of the cabins is planned another curve in the opposite direction.  Between those two elements – a fireplace and a hot tub – form the epicentre of the project and tie the two parts together. Two stone walls, integrated to the structure of the cabins, frame the view and emphasize this connection.

The structure of the cabins is a particular element of the project as it aims to draw inspiration from traditional Icelandic building techniques all while providing a sleek but cozy feeling. The bedroom and terrace are contained in a wooden volume – an asymmetric pitched roof cabin – while the wardrobe and bathroom are “hidden” from plain sight under an ascending stone core covered with turf. Since the common space building is especially open towards the cabins, the turf roofs ascending towards the landscape create the illusion that, firstly, each cabin is a separate volume, and secondly, that there is a stronger visual connection between the natural landscape and the common building.