a cabin trio is taking shape in Norway
In Rælingen, NorwayRever & Drage reworks a traditional timber residing in a modernized red home compiled by Chr. Tomters Veg. THE extension it is designed for a growing family and maintains the scale and intimacy of the original structure. At the same time, it introduces news cabin-similar volumes extending along a large and limited plot.
The narrow site is squeezed between two roads, the ground falling west towards the forest. This condition informs the layout of the additions, which are aligned along the plot and selectively open to the forest. The existing house remains central, while new elements extend north and south, creating a sequence of built forms that respond to both access and perspective.
images © Tom Auger
two gardens connect three cabins
Rever & Drage’s composition reads as three separate houses placed in a row, with two green yards between them. One of them is an outdoor courtyard, planted and paved, while the other takes the form of an indoor winter garden oriented towards the trees. These spaces bring daylight deep into the design and create moments of pause between rooms.
In the south, the architects space of a two-story volume with bedrooms, a bathroom and a small office. Between this wing and the original house, a glazed room forms a common space with a view of the forest. A fireplace anchors this area and gives it a cozy feel even in the colder months.
Rever & Drage is extending a traditional wooden house along a narrow plot of land in Rælingen
vertical layer within a horizontal layout
Inside the northernmost cabin, the program is arranged vertically. A garage and technical rooms occupy the lower level, with a rental unit above and a study hidden under the pitched roof. Defined by exposed woodwork and large openings, this upper room offers a quiet place that stands apart from the rest of the house.
Between the volumes, traffic shifts through narrow passageways and wider communal rooms, including a partially sunken level that supports multiple uses. The sequence moves between compression and opening, allowing different activities to take place simultaneously while maintaining visual connections throughout the design.
three cabins are aligned in a row to create a house connected by courtyards
rever & drage compose variations on red
The exterior palette explores a range of red surfaces, from painted wood paneling to brick and metal. Each material carries a slightly different tone and texture, giving the composition depth while maintaining a common identity. The preserved blue door and the fragments of the white window frame are reminiscent of the previous house, introducing small changes in the dominant color.
Inside, wood ash surfaces align with walls, ceilings and built-ins. Brick flooring and exposed concrete provide contrast, while finer details of brass and wood add precision to joints and edges. Interiors feel composed by both touch and sight, with each material registering its own weight and finish.
Wood ash finishes meet brick and concrete to create tactile textures
a winter garden opens to the forest
