Hjertefølger means heart follower in Norwegian, and the Hjertefølger family are certainly true to their name. After all, it takes a very special kind of force to compel you to move to a remote part of the Arctic Circle, but that’s exactly what this family of six decided to do in December 2013.
They built a three-story, five-bedroom, 25-foot-high solar geodesic dome on Norway’s Sandhornøya island, located over 1000km north of Oslo. For those who don’t know, a geodesic dome is a partly spherical structure comprised of a complex network of triangles. Their dome is made from various organic materials including sand, water, and clay, and the shape holds heat while protecting the family from the strong winds and heavy snowfall typical of the region. It also covers a garden area where the Hjertefølgers grow fruits and vegetables. The dome offers panoramic views of the surrounding untouched wilderness, and it also affords the family beautifully unobstructed views of the yearly Northern Lights.
“The feeling we get as we walk into this house is something different from walking in to any other house,” Ingrid Hjertefølger told Inhabitat. “The atmosphere is unique. The house has a calmness; I can almost hear the stillness.” That’s the reward for following your heart. (h/t: inhabitat)
The Hjertefølger family live in this solar geodesic dome situated on Sandhornøya island in northern Norway
The family of six built it themselves using various organic materials such as sand, water, and clay
The dome is 25ft high and has three storeys, five bedrooms, and two bathrooms
It also has an indoor garden where the Hjertefølgers grow fruits and vegetables such as apricots, grapes, kiwis, plums, and cucumbers
Their waste water gets reused to fertilize the plants. The family also composts food scraps and use clean biodegradable household products
“The feeling we get as we walk into this house is something different from walking in to any other house,” said Ingrid
The dome offers panoramic views of the surrounding untouched wilderness, and it also offers unobstructed views of the Northern Lights
“The atmosphere is unique. The house has a calmness; I can almost hear the stillness”
The Hjertefølger family plans to hold workshops, classes, tours and concerts at their eco-friendly nature house
They also hope to build additional cabins for yoga retreats and summer camps
