Wanna live in the Arctic Circle? Seems harsh right? But one family is living the sustainable dream in extreme weather conditions. The Hjertefolger family built their own cosy geo dome house in the far reaches of Norway and has been living on the Sandhornoya island since 2013.
The geo house is three stories high and it’s built from sand,water,clay and other organic materials, you be surprised how much inviting and aesthetically pleasing their cob home is, it’s pretty functional too run by solar geodesic dome by Solardome.
When you think about what they accomplished, it’s pretty impressive. Their five bedrooms, two bathrooms home was covered with a 25 foot high dome that is big enough to house six people and give them protection from the strongs winds and heavy snow storms.
Another big plus living inside the dome is that it cuts down the heating costs, the dome covers an area that houses a garden which the family uses as a greenhouse to grow most of the food they eat: Apples, cherries, plums, kiwis, apricots, grapes, cucumbers, tomatoes, herbs, squash and more. They grow all this food in an area that is without sunlight for three months out of the year, which is a challenge.
Living in this area of Earth is not easy, so this cozy interior gives a warm and welcoming vibe in contrast to the outside environment of the Arctic Circle’s cold climate. When there’s a really cold night or rough weather the stunning views of nature and the famous Northern Lights provide much entertainment for the family. ” We love the house: it has a soul of its own and it feels very personal. What surprised us is the fact that we built ourselves anew as we built the house. The process changes us, shaped us” Ingrid said in an interview with Inhabitat.
The family is now living in their geo dome house for three years and loving every minute of it. The house was built entirely by them and their friends. ” The feeling we get as we walk into this house is something different from walking in to any other house. The atmosphere is unique, the house has a calmness, i can almost hear the stillness, it’s hard to explain. But it would have been impossible getting this feeling from a house someone else has planned and built for us, or a house with corners and straight lines”
The geo dome house or SOLARDOME® PRO single-glazed cob home was built in just three weeks
The family built the entire house from sand, water, clay and other organic materials
The home has five bedrooms and two bathrooms, a spacious living room and kitchen, dining area and even a garage.
The house uses a log burner and solar panels to stay heated, and because it is built into the earth, it holds heat for long periods of time
The home also has a big garden that the family uses to grow most of their food
The family hopes to inspire others to adopt a more organic sustainable lifestyle by holding tours and classes.
The family also plans on building smaller similar geo dome cabins to host families and yoga classes on site
It’s easy to see that the family has a natural entertainment as the Arctic Circle provides endless beauty
Wouldn’t you want to live in a house with this stunning view?
Keep scrolling for a few more pictures of this unique home and video at the bottom
