Small Prefab Cabin Sits Between An Ocean And A 4 Million Year Old Volcano

With the ocean on one side and the magnificent 4 million year old Hafnarfjall volcano in the background, this little cabin house from Iceland enjoys one of the most gorgeous and scenic sites anywhere in the world.

The dark wood cladding and flat black roof allow the house to disappear into the landscape
The dark wood cladding and flat black roof allow the house to disappear into the landscape

The owners of this house wanted to preserve the beautiful landscape and the ecosystem as best as possible and chose to have the house factory-built and completely made off-site. They collaborated with studio Manta North to turn their vision into reality. 

 

The house occupies a small piece of land that opens onto the ocean at the foot of a magnificent mountain
The house occupies a small piece of land that opens onto the ocean at the foot of a magnificent mountain

By choosing not to have the house built on site the owners reduced the impact that this project had on the area around the house. Also, this meant that the entire structure could be assembled in just a few hours so one day this whole house just popped up and was ready to sleep in by the time it got dark. It made for a quite surprising discovery for the neighbors in the morning. 

The large full-height windows balance out the small footprint of the house
The large full-height windows balance out the small footprint of the house
The interior living spaces are framed by a simple and open wooden deck
The interior living spaces are framed by a simple and open wooden deck

The house is a combination of two modules that measure 48 sqm x 25 sqm each. These are connected by a small corridor which brings the house to 79 square meters of living space in total. These are structured into a living room, an open kitchen, a bedroom and a bathroom. Large floor-to-ceiling windows expose these areas to the gorgeous views of the ocean and the mountain range while the dark facades covered in thermally-treated wood help the house blend in with this extraordinary landscape.

The interior design is kept simple and features light warm neutrals and deep dark furnishings and details
The interior design is kept simple and features light warm neutrals and deep dark furnishings and details
The house as a whole is simple, modern, timeless and environmentally-friendly
The house as a whole is simple, modern, timeless and environmentally-friendly
The black kitchen cabinets and glossy black counters look so glamorous against the light wood tones
The black kitchen cabinets and glossy black counters look so glamorous against the light wood tones
The house can be used all year round thanks to the insulation provided by the thermally-treated wood cladding
The house can be used all year round thanks to the insulation provided by the thermally-treated wood cladding
The house was prefabricated from renewable, green and eco-friendly materials
The house was prefabricated from renewable, green and eco-friendly materials
The low-profile frame, small size and flat roof were chosen in response to the landscape and climate of this region
The low-profile frame, small size and flat roof were chosen in response to the landscape and climate of this region