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
a red brick fireplace is central in the main room and guides the view toward the window
sliding panels hide the kitchen to preserve clarity in the central living area
the materials age gradually as the family turns the structure into a lived in home
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
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