ArmadilloRealized

Overview
Our site is a 140-190 meter wide belt consisting mostly of heather between residential buildings and the sea. Today’s users are mostly bathing families and groups of friends during the summer, and hikers all year round. Throughout history, the natural sand pits in the heather moor have been used for rest as they provide good shelter from the wind. The sand pits also provide shelter for many red-listed animal species; an important reason for taking good care of the heather moor. In summer, the 12 km long beach is a natural meeting place for tourists, as well as locals. The wind is usually not a problem for the bathers, but it can be an annoyance as it cools down and can take with it some sand when the wind is strong.

In our installation, we created small resting spaces in the form of simple pieces of furniture.

Project
Through combining both benches and sheltering walls into a single piece of furniture that can be set out for the summer season, we created not only shelter where it is most needed, but also an approach to create minimally invasive installations that protect the heather moor and the visual environment on the beach from the lasting effects of permanent building installations.

The benches have two walls and a roof that can function as windbreaks and are placed in teh transition between the heather moor and the beach where the traditional picnic benches have already been set up. We have created three pieces to act as a pilot, with future installations being targeted based on needs and use.

The benches are built utilizing a simple construction in wood that can accommodate up to 6 people. The benches are placed on pillars that will stand firmly in the sand, but are easily moved to be able to pack up during the winter months.

Info
Design Team
Dagur Eggertsson, Vibeke Jenssen, and Nicholas Coates

Client
Laholm Municipality

Curators
Byggstudio
Hanna Nilsson and Sofia Østerhus

Carpentry
Dagur Eggertsson, Nicholas Coates, and Mads Øiern

Photography
Nicholas Coates