Swedes have a close relationship with nature – a crucial contributor to their famously high quality of life. To make this point even clearer, Visit Sweden and Turistrådet Västsverige (West Sweden Tourist Board) launched the 72 Hour Cabin project. The study sees five urban dwellers from various countries, but all with stressful jobs, living in a special setting for three days. Their 72-hour home? A cabin in nature on the picturesque Henriksholm Island, only two hours away from Gothenburg. Designed by architect student Jeanna Berger, the custom-built cabins have a simple design that maximizes the link to the natural landscape while also offering plenty of comfort. They boast glass walls and ceilings as well as solid wood flooring and frames, with only a bed included in the cozy interior.
Walter Osika and Cecilia Stenfors, two leading researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm monitored the well-being of the participants. The project took place between 7-10 September 2017, with the results of the study published sometime in October. We’ll venture a guess and say that the findings will strongly support the idea of living in a cabin in nature as a major factor to reduce stress and create a relaxed state of mind. Photographs© Maja Flink and Visit Sweden.
