pirinen & salo perches this 'home on a hill' over the snowy finnish laplands

a home to harmonize with the arctic landscape

Home on a Hill by Pirinen & Salo rises above the shoreline of Lake Inari in northern Finland, shaped by the client’s desire for economy and an unbroken relationship with the surrounding landscape. The dwelling’s form is at once compact and open, and responds directly to the terrain and the long northern light.

The exterior carries the presence of a cabin from the Savo region, translated with deliberate irregularity. Spruce board cladding, left untreated, takes on gradual shifts in tone as it weathers. Two chimneys of dissimilar height accentuate the building’s quiet asymmetry, giving the hilltop structure a grounded and familiar presence.

image © Marc Goodwin / Archmospheres

Pirinen & Salo’s efficient material palette

The team at Pirinen & Salo approached the home as a study in efficient building, arranging essential rooms around a double-height living area to keep volume and mechanical systems concentrated. A local factory produced the main structural elements, while builders from the nearby village completed the assembly, reinforcing the project’s connection to its immediate community.

Rising material costs during the pandemic years shaped several key decisions. OSB board became the interior cladding, offering a uniform surface with a faint texture that softens the light. Seamless white polyurethane flooring runs through the home, which creates continuity between rooms and supportes a sense of calm within a relatively small footprint.

the Home on a Hill frames Finland’s Lake Inari through a double-height living space

inside the hill house in finland

Upon entering, the view extends across the living space toward a hand-crafted gable-end window. A red brick fireplace anchors the room, lending weight and warmth to a space defined by restrained surfaces. The window draws the eye to the horizon where the lake meets the sky, affirming the reason for placing the home on a hill.

Bedrooms line the eastern side of the plan, arranged with quiet practicality. The main bedroom and en-suite sit toward the south, shielded from circulation. Doors to the children’s rooms and the study are concealed within the rhythm of the kitchen cabinetry, preserving clarity in the central space. The kitchen itself can be closed behind sliding panels, allowing the living area to retain a composed atmosphere between daily routines.

Though compact, the home supports layered use. Light enters from multiple directions, shifting gently across the OSB walls and the white floor as the day progresses. The structure’s modest scale encourages consistent engagement with the outdoors, reinforcing the connection between interior space and the surrounding hill landscape.

Pirinen & Salo shaped the structure with a barn-like silhouette

untreated spruce cladding and uneven chimneys introduce intentional irregularity

OSB interior surfaces and white polyurethane flooring balance economy and brightness

sliding panels hide the kitchen to preserve clarity in the central living area

1/12

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

floor plan

elevations

section

project info:

name: Home on a Hill

architect: Pirinen & Salo | @pirinensalo

location: Inari, Finland

lead architects: Anni-Helena Ruotsala and Teemu Pirinen

completion: 2024

area: 125 square meters (1,345 square feet)

photography: © Marc Goodwin / Archmospheres | @archmospheres

constructor: Harri Tervo and Inaritalot Oy

construction engineer: Inaritalot Oy

HVAC engineer: Jouni Kurki / LVI-Suunnittelu Jouni Kurki

HVAC installation: Seppona Oy / Seppo Niemi

electrical engineer: Tino Ravelin, Sähköpalvelu Seppo Tuovinen Oy

electrical installation: Mavela Oy

glass construction: Savon Lasituote Oy

fireplace: Harri Tervo

fireplace doors: Hemparts Oy

watertaps, showers: Tapwell Oy

Flooring: Sika Finland Oy

textiles: Design Maarit Magga