church stone shelter in finland uses recycled materials to house local hikers

finnish architect malin moisio has designed a wooden shelter from mostly recycled materials in the deep forest of kintulammi hiking and nature reserve area in tampere, finland. called the church stone shelter, it is named after a large natural boulder located nearby that served as a primitive church for local horse shepherds during the 18th century.

all images © julia kivelä

rather than offering somewhere to sleep like other lean-tos in the area, the shelter offers hikers respite and a place to prepare food by a covered fireplace. its rectangular form and steep pitched roof mimic the classic structure of a house, and a high interior space with open ends creates a space that blends with nature. there are also other openings that offer focused views of the surrounding forest.

maintained by the city of tampere, kintulammi nature reserve is an outdoor area that features various shelters and overnight stays for hikers and features. all the structures are made ecological, mostly with wood and recycled materials. the church stone shelter in particular, was developed in cooperation with the city-owned ekokumppanit oy and the parish of tampere who contributed to the building materials.

the shelter is made of vertically placed 5×5 inch timber frame, its walls placed on a plinth that has been made from recycled paving stones. the roof is felted and the wood parts are treated with a natural blend of tar and linseed oil. it was constructed on-site and without electricity.

project info

architects: arkkitehtitoimisto tilasto / malin moisio
location: tampere, finland
area: 23.0 m²
year: 2018

photography: julia kivelä