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From an early 1900s cottage to modern guesthouse: architecture that belongs to a place shaped by wind, sand, and time.
Set deep within the Thy National Park, Denmark, Vipp Cold Hawaii stands in open terrain shaped more by wind and sand than by human presence. Captured by photographer Richard Gaston, the guesthouse appears almost temporary at first glance, as if it could be lifted and set down elsewhere without ceremony. Its long, pitched roof and repeated openings echo familiar coastal buildings, but the clarity of its geometry keeps it firmly in the present.
Architecture studio Hahn Lavsen transformed an old cottage from the early 1990s into a modern guesthouse, relying on a small set of honest, tactile materials. Whitewashed aerated concrete carries the structure, its surface uneven enough to register light and shadow. Untreated Douglas fir forms the exterior cladding, already beginning to weather under the impact of salted air and coastal wind. Oak doors repeat along the façade, opening and closing the house in rhythm with the climate, rather than sealing it off from it. Nothing feels added for effect; each choice answers exposure, wear, and use.
Inside, the shift is quiet but noticeable. Interiors by Julie Cloos Mølsgaard lean on texture rather than contrast. Brick floors laid in sand hold warmth underfoot while recalling the ground outside. Wood, stone, metal, and woven textiles appear again and again, joined by pieces from Vipp alongside local craft and everyday objects. The rooms feel settled, as if shaped by living rather than arranged to be seen.
Large glazed openings sit deep within the walls, softening the boundary between inside and out. The dunes remain present from nearly every room, changing tone as the day passes and weather changes. At the center, the Vipp V3 kitchen runs through the living space, its aluminum surfaces catching low light without drawing attention away from the landscape. Elsewhere, a stone fireplace marks the meeting of rooms, its rough finish closely mirroring the terrain beyond the smooth glass. The house doesn’t compete with its surroundings. It stays, it endures, and it lets the place speak first.
All images courtesy of Vipp. Photography by Richard Gaston.
