Storytelling Playscape, Haugen/Zohar Arkitekter, Trondheim Norway, 2009

I have a friend from Trondheim and can attest that the slogan ‘there is no such thing as bad weather only bad clothing'  summarizes the native attitude.  Because of this, Norwegian children (and grown-ups!) play outdoors year round.  Haugen/Zohar architects used scrap lumber from a nearby construction site to make a unique fireplace hut centering a kindegarten playscape where together with traditional playground facilities they wanted to make an closed space for fire, storytelling and playing. 

"Inspired by the Norwegian turf huts and old log construction, a wooden construction was built and mounted on a lighted and brushed concrete base. The structure is made of 80-layered circles. The circles have varied radiuses and relative center point in relation to each other. Every circle is made out of 28 pieces of naturally impregnated core of pine that are placed with varied spaces to assure chimney effect and natural light. Oak separators differentiate vertically between the pine pieces to assure airflow allowing easy drying of the pine pieces. A double curved sliding door was designed for locking the structure."

Photos from the Haugen/Zohar website, quote from archdaily...thanks to reader Maggie L. for the find!