Outdoor Fireplace by Haugen/Zohar Architects
Haugen/Zohar Architects have designed an outdoor fireplace in Trondheim, Norway.
Full description after the photos….
Photography by Grethe Fredriksen & Jason Havneraas
Outdoor Fireplace by Haugen/Zohar Architects
Together with the standard playground facilities we wished to combine an enclosed space for fire, storytelling and playing.
Given a very limited budget, reusing leftover materials (from a nearby construction site) was a starting point that led the design to be based on short wooden pieces. Inspired by the Norwegian turf huts and old log construction, a 5,2×4,5 meters 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 centre 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.
Visit the website of Haugen/Zohar Architects – here.
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Lesley Sutherland on 05 Jan 2010 at 5:36 pm #
This is perhaps the most beautiful human construction I have ever seen.
Chris on 05 Jan 2010 at 6:08 pm #
Very creative and warm looking
Pamela Elmer on 05 Jan 2010 at 8:09 pm #
Gorgeous!! I love the free form and the materials used.
Marcus on 05 Jan 2010 at 10:49 pm #
This is dumb, its going to burn down for sure killing innocent kids.
Olaf Borg on 05 Jan 2010 at 11:51 pm #
No, these structures do not just burn down. Believe it or not, but they do not light on fire easily.
JimW on 06 Jan 2010 at 6:49 am #
This is delightful! Sometimes the simplist things are the most beautiful – and this is an excellent example. Couldn’t one imagine a series of these stationed along the length of cross-country ski trails; especially for night skiing!
Juan Shaban on 06 Jan 2010 at 11:06 am #
This small construction really is beautiful, especially at night, though the kids should probably not be there alone…
Susan on 06 Jan 2010 at 1:25 pm #
I want one
PinballLes on 06 Jan 2010 at 8:24 pm #
Nice. Too bad it’s built from wood. Last time I checked wood burned! Maybe a different non-flamable material might have been a better option.
kast on 06 Jan 2010 at 9:29 pm #
mybe .we could treat the wood from burning ….but overall.its poetic and beautiful …
Leif on 06 Jan 2010 at 11:01 pm #
How are the pine blocks and oak shims secured to each other? A screw through every one?
MKT on 07 Jan 2010 at 7:55 am #
I think this is a wonderful, almost organic design using natural materials.
Certainly, the fire in the pit would have to be monitored by a responsible adult. Thus keeping it to a manageable size. Also, it would be prudent to have a fire extinguisher on hand.. just in case.
The fact that it is made of wood (recycled in fact) is not only economical and earth friendly but sort of ironic. I could see the builders of these selling kits and making a few bucks. I’d buy one.
Good job.
SteveO on 07 Jan 2010 at 9:53 am #
Since the temperature of ignition for wood is somewhere around 300 degrees C, there is very little chance the structure would ignite if the fire were to be built in the center of the structure. The kids’ clothing would ignite before the walls. Likewise, sparks would be too small to heat up the wood to the extent that it would catch fire. Yes, obviously children should be monitored by an adult around an open fire.
Guus on 07 Jan 2010 at 12:46 pm #
Beautiful, simple and great construction. A wonderful mixture of public and private space. I would love to sit there with my kids, with neighbours, passer-bys. Also a good place for homeless people to sit and sleep. The design is an invitation for social and civilized behaviour. Alas not a guarantee.
Roe Griffith on 07 Jan 2010 at 2:51 pm #
WOW!!!!!!! amazing and so beautiful…like everyone else, i want one of those for myself! yeah!
Geoff on 07 Jan 2010 at 6:00 pm #
i actually don’t think it would be as susceptible to catching fire as people think, that looks not only quite safe, but very beautiful. A+, I want one!
Diane on 07 Jan 2010 at 7:55 pm #
Fantastic! Imagine the dreams you would have sleeping inside this lovely hive!
Bleepy on 07 Jan 2010 at 10:45 pm #
reminds me of a teepee from the rez
Rach on 07 Jan 2010 at 11:20 pm #
It is a beautifully geometric and functional design. Assuming you are planning on shopping this, based on your diagram (image http://www.contemporist.com/photos/hz_050110_09.jpg ), you may want the artist of that image draw in adults as it gives the “Saturday Night Live skit” appearance in it’s current form (i.e. children playing around a fire)…as well as your pitch: “…Together with the standard playground facilities we wished to combine an enclosed space for fire, storytelling and playing.” <—might want to have this rewritten by a trained ad person…again with the children playing near fire feeling = bad. Many of the comments here reinforce this sentiment.
Abe on 08 Jan 2010 at 2:11 am #
This is a wonderful example of simple creativity at its best mixed with good structural knowledge. To all those who say, But its wood and it will burn down! Most of my life I have lived in a wooden framed house. Often with wooden paneling on the wooden frames. In the middle of these where always open fireplaces. None of these burnt down.
Twigs on 08 Jan 2010 at 8:06 am #
When I first saw it, I thought it was made of brick. Would that be possible? The only problem is that there wouldn’t be many spaces between the brick for letting smoke out, but the door and the flue might take care of that.
Or maybe the best thing to do would be to continually treat it to make it fireproof.
K on 08 Jan 2010 at 10:14 am #
Gorgeous, I want one! I’ll have to make something similar one day.
Macfarland on 08 Jan 2010 at 7:46 pm #
marcus- it could happen, but I think it’s more likely to kill drunk or stupid people who mess around with the fire than children. most kids under ten wont be playing with fire unaccompanied. but as long as the fire doesnt get too big than I dont see why it would burn down.
Mark Aldrich on 08 Jan 2010 at 8:37 pm #
This was a great idea. I know that different material models will emerge so people feel safer in it. As big as it is, if the fire is controlled, there’s no chance of burning down. It would take arson or careless people to inflict that kind of accident.
Rob on 08 Jan 2010 at 9:15 pm #
Umm so who does everyone that is concerned about the kids took the picture? Maybe an adult? It’s a great structure and if it was going to catch maybe it might of by now? Would we be so concerned about a cabin with a fireplace? Lighten up, couldn’t resist…
Phid on 09 Jan 2010 at 11:57 am #
This is a pretty awesome structure. To all who are concerned about the kids in the photo: I think it’s a non-issue; no doubt they were put in here for the photo op. Obviously they would be supervised.
Jan on 09 Jan 2010 at 9:11 pm #
Beautiful. I’d love to have one. What a fine setting for storytelling. Wonderful creativity.
Joe Summars on 10 Jan 2010 at 5:34 am #
Brilliant!
James on 10 Jan 2010 at 7:34 am #
This is so cool!
Really simple and beautiful!
For anyone interested in details and concept drawings check out the architects’ website:
http://www.hza.no/page.php?pid=28
Such a great project! Wow!
Magic Marmelade on 10 Jan 2010 at 9:44 pm #
I looked and looked, i still do not understand how the wooden bricks are fixed, if they are…. but i guess there is something, otherwize it woudn’t hold a strong wind…
Very nice….
And please, people, stop panicking about the idea of a fire and a kid in the same square mile… man has survived using fire for millions years before we invented the microwave… (so i guess it comes easily in mind to human that you may burn your noose if you put your face in the fire…or?)
Bau Outdoors on 11 Jan 2010 at 2:07 am #
Absolutely lovely! I’d say if a scaled-down kit were available, it would sell very well, as this is a much more attractive than most of the geometric playhouse designs we see.
Sanjay Thapa on 11 Jan 2010 at 5:19 am #
thats absolutely fantastic
stephanie on 11 Jan 2010 at 8:30 am #
i WANT this! truly incredible design..
aaron on 13 Jan 2010 at 9:31 pm #
i’m enthralled, fantastic! i am worried about persons with no understanding of engineering warning against burning children. heat rises. children need supervision. perhaps you do too on the web.
Marie-Louise Avery on 14 Jan 2010 at 7:42 am #
This is a wonderful inspiring space.
Wooden houses have always had hearths – we live in a wood frame cottage built c.1390 which for about the first 200 years of its existence would have had an open hearth in the middle of the floor of the main room.
Children always used to grow up learning about risk and how to look after themselves – it is something childhood has lost and we can only speculate how children will develop as fewer and fewer of them take any responsibility for themselves as children.
Joseph on 15 Jan 2010 at 2:52 pm #
This is really pretty and expressive .
Dejah Thoris on 19 Jan 2010 at 3:55 pm #
I would love to have one of these. Of course, as in all cases, children should have adult supervision around an open fire. I think this goes without saying. Also, I’m sure the people that designed and constructed this were aware that wood does in fact burn but didn’t design a structure likely to go up in flames easily.
Courtney on 12 Feb 2010 at 4:24 pm #
So, maybe I am in the minority here with my Native American ancestry, but has no one on this site ever heard of a wigwam? Native American dwelling, dome shaped, made out of mud and dry grass, big hole in the top to serve as a “chimney” for the open fire in the center? This structure is a beautiful modernized example of one, and it is in no danger of burning down.
Judy M Johnson on 26 Feb 2010 at 10:49 am #
I think its FABULOUS! Beautiful, safe, artistic, practical, recycle-able, smart….. and I WANT one TOO!
Paul Jones on 13 Mar 2010 at 8:41 am #
Thanks for the specifications, Bit of DIY/time on my hands this summer, Want one in my garden, Fantastic
oliver on 26 Mar 2010 at 5:43 am #
I like it.. its like kisses!!
ViCtOrIa on 10 Jun 2010 at 3:17 am #
I think it’s funny that so many people fear it will burn down. Our collective ancestors, whether European, Asian or Native American have built structures just like this for hundreds of thousands of years. It’s a beautiful structure. Thank you for this.
Alan on 10 Jun 2010 at 5:22 am #
PEOPLE, save the lectures re kids being unsupervised around fire places. You seem to have missed the point here. FYI there is a big fat grownup with a camera right next to the kids in the one picture and the other one is a drawing….
Kenneth on 10 Jun 2010 at 11:50 am #
Awesome structure. I might consider building something like it.
Still, no one has answered how, or if the wood is
secured together? Is it made with screws or nails? It’s hard to see.
Linda Trott Dickman on 01 Jul 2010 at 12:17 pm #
I just love the look of it, the windows, the warmth that it projects visually at night. It reminds me of a skep for people!
Coyopa on 06 Jul 2010 at 6:35 am #
It’s a thing of beauty and soul-utility. It’s quite a thing that some people’s response is to suggest that children will be killed by it! My impression is that they might be brought to life… Ach, we’ve strayed so far from knowing into fear.
Such objects as this enliven the imagination, touch the soul and instil wonder…
(And yes, before leaving children alone with a fire, they should get some education in what fire is and how it burns things down! Preferably by spending lots of time round one!)
I love it! It causes all sorts of resonance in me with other shapes of structure and nature.
Mike on 22 Jul 2010 at 7:55 am #
Very impressive.
It seems to be a modern day design of an Indian tee pee.
I had better get my wife the chi mania she wants before she sees this.
tasha on 22 Jul 2010 at 8:49 pm #
id have loved this as a kid
Al on 10 Aug 2010 at 7:52 pm #
As someone mentioned, it does look something like a wigwam. I lived in a tepee for several summers, and was impressed with how (if it was set up properly) you never had smoke blowing at you. With “dew flaps” in place, so air wouldn’t sneak under the skin, the smoke always went up. I’m curious how this design works–seems there are a lot of air spaces in this thing. Wouldn’t there be a draft that (depending on which way the wind is blowing) blows the smoke around? (A perennial problem with outdoor campfires, people are always having to move around to avoid the smoke as the wind changes direction).