A striking jet-black cabin, known as Atelier Nyp, has been constructed on the historic foundation of a ruined sheep shed by the architectural firm Studio Bua in the secluded reaches of western Iceland. Taking its name from the Nypurhyrna mountain that rises behind it, this cabin serves as both an artist’s studio and a guesthouse. It is perched with a stunning view over the expansive Breidafjordur fjord, located about a three-hour drive from Reykjavik.
The cabin features a purposely simplistic and subtle design intended to harmonize with the agricultural aesthetic of the existing buildings in the compound. Its off-center pitched roof is a subtle reference to the shape of one of the prominent mountain peaks in the region.
Designer: Studio Bua
The clients wanted the remains of a pre-existing sheep shed on the property to be reused to reduce the amount of concrete used to construct the new structure. “We approached the project from the point of view of sustainability and to maximise the existing resources, both material and cultural,” said Studio Bua co-founder Sigrún Sumarliðadóttir. “We repurposed the concrete foundation from an existing sheep shed that had blown off in extremely bad weather, which in this part of the world is not uncommon,” she concluded.
Inside Atelier Nyp, the space is cleverly divided into two separate units. On the side facing the mountains, there is a kitchen and dining area, along with a workspace on the ground floor. The first floor offers living accommodations for the artist client and her husband, which includes a small office area. On the opposite side of the building, there is a self-contained mini-apartment available for visitors. This unit features a double-height bedroom, a bathroom, and a kitchenette. Adjacent to the cabin, you’ll find a dark green steel greenhouse, a component of an earlier project also designed by Studio Bua.
The client’s wish was to have the guesthouse ready for summer, so to hasten up the construction process, the new building was built using cross-laminated timber (CLT). The CLT is exposed on the inside to deliver a warm and cozy finish. “We are quite proud of how much we fit into this little building, and it somehow feels spacious on the inside,” said Sumarliðadóttir. “We also like the elemental look, it seemed almost like a diagram of a building on the outside.”
The exterior of Atelier Nyp is clad in corrugated steel, offering protection against harsh weather conditions. The black finish of the steel was selected to set it apart from neighboring structures and to highlight the building’s straightforward design. Along with utilizing the original concrete foundations, Studio Bua incorporated salvaged materials into the construction of Atelier Nyp. This included an old staircase from a historic building in Reykjavik, as well as kitchen units sourced from a 1950s apartment block.
