Gränsland

Sammanfattning: This thesis is based in the expanding tourism industry of northern Sweden. Through site 5:544 in Sälenfjällen, the project investigates the conditions in terms of climate, history, and architecture of the area as well as the development of nature tourism in north Sweden in the 20th century. The analysis results in an investigation process through physical models and sketches to reach a set of tectonic principles for building in this specific environment. The result of the thesis is then presented as a project proposal, aesthetically designed from the beforementioned principles. The site of the project is situated by Södra Kungsleden, a hiking trail north of highway 66 on a mountain slope. The area is today largely developed by the expanding tourism industry in the area which has created a lack of variation in the local architecture. Large parts of the developments are uninhabited during large parts of the year, due to their function in the alpine tourism. This thesis will therefore strive to activate the area with a building services the summer activities for tourism, mainly hiking and mountaineering. The alpine region of north Scandinavia is a unique and sensitive environment. The site consists of unexploited nature, apart from low wear from the occasional hiker and the hiking trail which consists of tarmac. There are some pine trees on the site which have an estimated age of around 540 years and are considered of high conservational value. The project is therefore designed with the intersection of architecture and nature in mind. The focal point throughout the process is how the building sits on the ground, how the building fits in to the site aesthetically as well as how the organization of the building can be modified to serve the needs of the modern tourist. The program of the proposal is based on a mapping of touristic archetypes: the beginner, the day-hiker, the mountaineer, and the family. The mapping resulted in a planning of the building where public and common spaces are given priority for views and light. The program also resulted in a split of the building to four parts: main building, two separate accommodation buildings and a sauna. The intersection between nature and architecture is examined through three different aspects: how the foundation attaches to the ground, the walls and the overall shape of the building situated in the landscape. The analysis was made though comparing alternatives in sketches and models with a parallel connection to vernacular architecture of the area. The process resulted in foundation walls in granite forming crawl spaces combined with a glue-laminated timber structure in pine and large roof overhangs. The result is presented as a result from the tectonic principles found through the investigating process. It can be viewed a site-specific proposal as well as a general approach to building for tourism in northern Scandinavia.