Dn the magnificent Finnish archipelago of Sipoo, about thirty kilometers from Helsinki, the wild coasts are dotted with mökkejä, small wooden chalets carpeted in the forest. This is where 30-something Robin Falck built his Nido (“bird’s nest”, in Italian) in 2011. A small cabin of 9 square meters with a view of the Baltic Sea whose story looks like a fairy tale…
At 21, Robin Falck is about to enter the Aalto Higher School of Art, Design and Architecture in Helsinki. During the summer, in two weeks, he built a small wooden house that he designed himself. The Finn dreamed of this place on the fringes of family property, like a return to basics.
Inside Nido, the soberly furnished living room is bathed in natural light thanks to a large sloping bay that extends up to the first floor, offering each evening the spectacle of the starry night from the sloping bedroom. . Outside, the “Nest” took the form of a large boulder that would have always been there. Architecture critic Philip Jodidio, author of the book Cabins (Taschen, 2014), says of Nido that it is “The archetype of the cabin in this sylvan setting”.
In Robin’s imagination, there was the summer cabin built by his great-grandfather. “I played it as a child. I loved this place, but I also had my ideas, those of my generation who aspires to a clean lifestyle, with the lowest possible ecological footprint. For Nido, I used local wood, linen for insulation and recycled materials, then transported everything myself so as not to damage anything. ”
Very much in demand, the young designer now sells the plans for his little cocoon online for 260 euros. The minimalist structure, the overall cost of which is around 10,000 euros, does not require a building permit. However, there is no question of renting a refuge despite its popularity: “Whenever I can, I flee Helsinki to come and breathe here. ” His Instagram account (@robinfalck) tells of idyllic fly fishing trips with friends at the foot of the Nido, fully embodying a Nordic version of Zen philosophy.