In a remote valley east of Jotunheimen National Park lies Europe’s largest migration route for moose. RAM Arkitektur was commissioned by local businesses to propose five projects to boost tourism. So what could be more natural than building a 12 metre moose tower with bunks for six people? The sensitive natural environment and the more than 1,000 year-old trapping pits created challenges for the build.
The prefabricated tower was erected as a modern interpretation of the log cabin. The dovetailed timbers are stacked directly on top of a glulam structural frame. All the structural components are light enough for two people to handle. The parts also had to be transported to the site using snow scooters.
Planning permission required an open staircase on the outside of the tower. This passes the sleeping and eating levels on the way up to the covered viewing platform. Surprisingly, there is also a toilet at the top, specifically a gas-fired incinerating toilet.
