saunders architecture: bridge studio

‘bridge studio’ by saunders architecture, fogo island, newfoundland, canada image © bent rené synnevåg all images courtesy of saunders architecture

recently completed on the coast of fogo island in newfoundland, canada, the ‘bridge studio’ designed by bergen-based practice saunders architecture. located within deep bay, a town comprised of 150 people, the remote site is accessed after a twenty minute hike through a terrain of granite outcroppings covered with a layer of lichen. a wooden stair and ramp system traverse the topographical changes, helping visitors with steep hills. entered upon crossing a 16 foot bridge, a 30 square meter building is propped upon four piers and overlooks a sheltered inland pond. merging the form of a traditional saltbox structure, the side elevation of the volume takes the form of a parallelogram, angling upward and delicately hovering above the landscape. at the entrance, large glass portal directs attention to the studio area beyond, elevated a few steps above the entry floor plane. the desk is oriented to view the surrounding scenery, allowing artists to contemplate their creative process through a picture window which appears to rest upon the work surface. four-inch spruce planks line the floors, internal wall surfaces and ceilings to accentuate depth perspective within the intimate space. a wood-burning stove and built-in storage for logs are placed within the lower half of the interior.

visitors cross a 16-foot long bridge to access the studio interior image © bent rené synnevåg

see designboom’s initial coverage of the previously completed long studio and recently unveiled squish studio.

studio is placed a few steps above the entry image © bent rené synnevåg

image © bent rené synnevåg

image © bent rené synnevåg

image © bent rené synnevåg

image © bent rené synnevåg

image © bent rené synnevåg

image © bent rené synnevåg

image © bent rené synnevåg

image © bent rené synnevåg

image © bent rené synnevåg

image © bent rené synnevåg

image © bent rené synnevåg

image © bent rené synnevåg

image © bent rené synnevåg

image © bent rené synnevåg

site plan

floor plan / level 0 1. bridge 2. studio

section

elevation

elevation

section detail

section detail

project info:

client: shorefast foundation and the fogo island arts corporation architect: saunders architecture – bergen, norway team architects: attila béres, ryan jørgensen, ken beheim-schwarzbach, nick herder, rubén sáez lópez, soizic bernard, colin hertberger, christina mayer, olivier bourgeois, pål storsveen, zdenek dohnalek associate architect: sheppard case architects inc. (long studio) structural engineer: dba associates (long studio) services engineer: core engineering (long studio) builder: shorefast foundation construction supervisor: dave torraville builders: arthur payne, rodney osmond, edward waterman, germain adams, john penton, jack lynch, roy jacobs, clarke reddick construction photos: nick herder size: 30 m2 location: fogo island, newfoundland, canada status: finished 2011