Kynttilä (Candle) | ORTRAUM architects

The inspiration for the Kynttilä design was fully derived from its unique setting.  The Nunnanniemi peninsula is located in Lake Saimaa near Savonlinna in eastern Finland, close to the Russian border.  A large part of the property surrounded by the lake is a nature reserve.  Next to the main old summer cottage and sauna, building rights allow for an additional 15m2 guesthouse and meditation cottage.  The place chosen for Kynttilä, in the middle of the pristine forest, on a narrow arm of the peninsula, provides views over the water on both sides of the cottage.

The element design approach ensured minimal impact to the forest.  A temporary construction road was created only for the assembly day.  The forest vegetation was spared and put back in place as soon as the installation work was completed.  

The concept of Kynttilä is Zen, in the definition of “nothing”.  The space is aiming to provide focus, visually and spiritually, by stripping the content and design intention to a bare minimum.  The dimensions of the five space-enveloping elements are identical, creating a calm space, and framing the carefully chosen view towards the water with maximised simplicity.

The space is strongly linked to nature, as the large window creates direct and intimate contact and communication with the surroundings.  Daylight, weather, and seasons guide the rhythm of the day.  But besides this obvious dialogue, Kynttilä also creates a kind of mental portal to a higher dimension.  The framed nature image turns into an individual abstraction and projection of thoughts.  In the night time, like a candle, Kynttilä shines as a warm light on the lake shore.

The entire building structure, including the furniture and entrance door, is made of massive cross laminated timber (CLT) elements. The building is clad with larch timber on the exterior while all CLT remains visible on the inside.