Helsinki-based architectural firm Studio Puisto has recently completed a modular eco-hotel concept, designed to capture the attention of budding hoteliers. Dubbed Uni Villas, named after the Finnish word for “dream,” the pilot project is made up of three U-shaped dwellings located in Finland's Kytäjä Golf. Each module hosts three suites and is designed for maximum privacy, while taking full advantage of the natural surroundings and landscape. In addition, each unit is prefabricated off-site and designed for easy transportation on the back of a standard truck.
“We saw a need in the current market for a high-quality accommodation unit that is at the same time possible to build with a reasonable cost and schedule,” Sami Logren, architect at Studio Puisto tells New Atlas. “In Uni Villas, we use renewable construction materials, such as wood and wood-based insulation, while at the same time reaching high energy efficiency standards.”
A single Uni Villa measures 106 sq m (1,141 sq ft) in total and comprises three hotel suites: two 25 sq m (269 sq ft) studios, and one 38 sq m (409 sq ft) suite. All prefabrication work is undertaken off-site, minimizing the need for additional construction once delivered.
Once on site, the modules are lifted onto pre-installed foundations and connected together. This type of assembly reduces the structure’s footprint on the natural environment, while also enabling installation in hard-to-reach and remote settings. In addition, the Uni Villas come on site as turn-key packages, including all interior furnishings and fixtures.
The dwellings are built using dark cross-laminated-timber cladding, offering an aesthetic appeal within the lush forest setting. Each accommodation suite features a large open space inside, boasting elegant Nordic luxury; the use of warm timber materials; and a floor-to-ceiling glass feature wall to capture the vast views across the forest. Maximum privacy is maintained for the guests thanks to the structure’s U-shape design.
“Common problems with detached accommodation or your typical pre-designed cabin or villa project is that it rarely blends in with the landscape, doesn’t utilize the site and views optimally, and often with multiple units, there are problems with privacy and direction of view,” says Logren. “The Uni Villas offer the illusion of complete privacy while being still close to others. In addition to beautiful views from the inside and outside of the units.”
Each suite is equipped for a weekend in nature, and for a few rounds golf. Storage space is optimized and integrated visually throughout the interior and there is even a fully functional kitchen hidden behind wooden doors.
Uni Villas can be used as accommodation, compact modular housing or as a private eco-retreat. Clients have the opportunity to personally customize the interior according to their needs and tastes, and different energy solutions can be adapted according to the specific site, including the option to install solar panels as part of an off-grid solution.
Uni Villas are currently being manufactured in Finland and prices are available on a project-by-project basis, depending on the location and quantity.
You can take a look at the Uni Villas eco-resort in Finland in the video below.
Source: Studio Puisto
