Kulturista - Cultural Experiences in West Sweden

C U LT U R E E X P E R I E N C E S I N W E S T S W E D E N 24 The five glass cabins are carefully balanced atop stilts on Lake Ånimmen’s Henriksholm island in the heart of Sweden’s tranquil Dalsland Province. As the daughter of Henriksholm’s owner, ar- chitecture student Jeanna Berger was the obvious choice to de- sign the glass cabins that would play the starring role in the project The 72 Hour Cabin. Ultimately, the inspiration for their design came from the Dalsland barns that Berger played in as a child. “I grew up on Henriksholm and wanted to somehow celebrate what Dalsland is known for – proximity to nature. I decided from the outset that the cabins would stand on stilts, so as to disturb the natural environment as little as possible. They’re welcome to be there, but should preferably leave as little mark on the en- vironment as possible,” says Berger. P L AY F U L N E S S E N C O U R A G E D Besides respect for the environment, Berger wanted to encourage and celebrate playfulness and the perfect freedom that spending time in nature offers. “You kind of have to take a step up into the cabins, just like I had to do as a child when I climbed the trees out here on Henriksholm,” Berger explains. M O R E C A B I N S O N T H E H O R I Z O N The interest from abroad in experiencing the health benefits of Swedish nature has been enormous. More cabins are now open for bookings by the public. All designed by Berger with simplicity, functionality and natural raw materials – well known features for Swedish design. Glass Cabins Bring Visitors Closer to Nature During the autumn of 2017, five people with stressful jobs were given the chance to discover a new outlook on life. All within the space of just 72 hours and with only Dalsland Province’s natural environment to help them do it. Meet Jeanna Berger, the architect behind the glass cabins. T E X T J O H A N T Ö R N R O T H