On a mission to save the environment, the intrepid Hjertefølger family decided to build a sustainable house within a glass dome in the heart of Norway's Arctic Circle.
Despite the challenging climate, the innovative property has been their home since 2014, and thanks to a host of clever gadgets, their household bills have dropped to almost nothing. Here's how they did it...
It seems fitting that Hjertefølger translates as 'heart-followers' since this family of six were determined to bring their dream of sustainable living to life, despite the obstacles involved.
If building their own house wasn’t already a challenge, the couple also needed to take on nature, as Sandhornøya is located in the middle of the remote Arctic Circle. Living 365 days a year in the wilderness, the Hjertefølger house had to be designed to survive every challenge.
Inspired by a similar property built inside a greenhouse, parents Ingrid and Benjamin had their hearts set on constructing their own eco house in one of the coldest places in the world.
Nestled amongst thick woodland and the freezing Arctic tundra, the breathtaking location was a far cry from the suburban backdrop of the average family home.
Home to just a few million people, areas located in and around the Arctic Circle experience some of the most extreme weather conditions in the world. Winters are long and extremely cold, while summers are short and cool, so their home needed to be able to cope with this harsh environment.
The weather wasn’t going to stop them from achieving their dream though. “We came across an article about a Swedish family living in a ‘nature house’, which is a house inside a greenhouse with its own water recycling system,” Ingrid says.
The home (pictured here in a YouTube tour) was built to help the residents survive the cold weather in Stockholm, Sweden, so the Hjertefølgers immediately saw that this ingenious system could overcome the bitter conditions in Sandhornøya too.
And this is exactly what the Hjertefølgers sought to do too. “We were doing research online about different natural building techniques, and fell in love with cob houses (homes made with natural materials).
"But that seemed like a difficult thing to do in Northern Norway, with short summers and a lot of rain," Ingrid says.
The family had plenty of help when it came to building their unusual home, with the process itself proving very hands-on.
"The house was built out of cob, which is just a mixture of sand, clay and straw. You can mix the cob with your feet, a cement mixer, or whatever tools you have available," Ingrid says. "Eventually the cob becomes a solid mass, which you can make bricks out of."
The amazing house was featured in a film called Hjertefølgerne / The Heart Followers. As chilly as it can be on the outside, the glass dome acts just like a greenhouse and retains plenty of heat on the inside. There's even space at the top of the dome to kick back on a hammock and admire the stunning ocean views.
The couple splashed out 3,200,000 kr (£270,700/$363,000) to build the property, but their lifestyle is now cheaper than ever. An array of solar panels power the house with energy derived from the sun. The cost of running the unconventional family home is very low, with minimal impact on the surrounding environment too.
Measuring 2,583 square feet, the quirky house has more than enough room for the family of six. The interior layout, which features five spacious bedrooms, two bathrooms, a lounge, a kitchen, dining room and a garage, provides a comfortable home for the Hjertefølgers.
Inside, the home's cob walls have been left bare with rough, exposed plaster. Natural materials have been used throughout the interior, from the warm wood front door to the storage units used to organise the family's belongings.
"Being inside the house is relaxing. There are many who tell us that when they visit they feel a certain calmness," Benjamin says.
In the main open-plan living area, rustic beams add a characterful touch to the home, while hand-shaped doorways reflect the architecture's organic structure.
However, it's the floor-to-ceiling fabric banner featuring an old oak tree that draws the eye and offers a welcoming focal point.
Decked out with every essential appliance, the kitchen is a masterclass in breathing new life into salvaged materials. The kitchen is an informal collection of cabinetry and shelving, with arched windows and a curved breakfast bar adding to the organic feel and allowing the splendour of natural materials to do all the talking.
Wooden crates offer table-top storage, while old drawers have been repurposed as wall-mounted shelving. Meanwhile, the cabinetry and breakfast bar, created from off-cuts of wood, are the result of thrifty craftsmanship.
The heart of the home, the Hjertefølger's kitchen is the perfect place to gather for family dinners and cosy mugs of cocoa – vegan, of course!
While the home embraces rustic, natural living, it doesn't go without its fair share of comfortable touches. The curved sofa, which was built from recycled wood planks, features an array of boho-style printed cushions and cosy throws.
Offset against a colourful tapestry and plenty of greenery, this snug space offers a zen-like feel.
They use an innovative irrigation system to feed the garden – waste water from the house is recycled and used to nourish the soil and grow toxin-free produce.
"A timer regulates the amount of water for the plants. Irrigation and fertilisation takes care of itself," Ingrid says.
Embracing a vegetarian and vegan diet, the family have always been eco-conscious, which is why they were especially keen to ensure the house had the space and facilities for them to grow their own food. “We used to buy only organic products, grew food in our garden and so on, so we wanted to continue that lifestyle,” Ingrid Hjertefølger says.
During the summer months, the Hjertefølgers reap the rewards of their garden, picking fresh fruit and veg they’ve grown as part of their sustainable lifestyle.
Thanks to their home's enviable location, the family love nothing more than spending their days in nature. From long walks in the surrounding woodlands to swimming in the lake, the Hjertefølgers know how to enjoy life's simple pleasures. Ingrid also home-schools her four children, but when the weather is right she allows them a snow day. During lockdown, the family spent their days sledding in the backyard, showing exactly how home-schooling is done in the Arctic Circle!
Yet that's not to say that biodome life is completely without its challenges. Ingrid took to Instagram to explain exactly how the family tackles the cleaning. “Our dome has about 400 windows and we clean them every spring,” she said.
“We have never cleaned the outside, the snow does the job! We always start by using a pressure washer all over to remove most of the dust before starting to clean by hand. We reach most of the windows as we’re standing by the dome wall. For the rest, we use a telescope window cleaner.”
Named the FreeDome, the family built this new structure as a space to hold meditation retreats and yoga classes, and they also rent out the dome as a unique party and wedding venue too. We can't imagine a more relaxing outlook than that tranquil waterfront!
During lockdown, the family were in the perfect position to self-isolate and spend time together without visitors staying. “We decided to take a whole year's break before Corona came around,” Ingrid said.
“The plan is to stay at home and enjoy the midnight sun and family life all summer. For eight years straight we’ve had hundreds of guests every single summer. We needed a quiet year.”
While the architecture is undoubtedly fascinating, we're most envious of the family home's remote location. In this part of the Arctic Circle, the bewitching green ripples of the Northern Lights are a regular sight.
In fact, you couldn't get a much better view of them. "I love this strange house we made and from time to time we laugh out loud over how weird it is," Ingrid told her Instagram followers.
Recently, the family celebrated their 10-year anniversary in their biodome home with this post showcasing their charming Christmas decorations. A cosy biodome certainly seems like the perfect place to hunker down for the holidays, and the Hjertefølgers don’t have any intention of leaving any time soon!
Indeed, there doesn’t seem to be a bad season for the biodome. In the winter, the dome freezes over to look like an iced gum drop, with beautiful ice crystal patterns visible on the glass inside, according to Ingrid. However, even when outside temperatures plummet, the biodome’s heat-retention technology keeps things nice and toasty inside.
During the cold winter months, when they can’t rely on food from their garden, the family stocks up on dry goods like beans, rice and pasta sourced from a local zero-waste store. Everything is then stored in plastic-free containers in the basement or displayed on the hand-made open wooden shelves.
This incredible home has been a labour of love for the intrepid family. “I think that if everyone fulfilled their dreams and did the things they were good at, the world would function wonderfully," Ingrid says.
"I believe there’s an intelligent design behind everything. Everyone is supposed to do their part, and what’s needed. I have devoted my life to permaculture. I want to show that it is possible to do whatever you want, even though no one has ever done it before."
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