The Bergen Safe House was built in just 4 days as part of the Bergen International Wood Festival in Norway. Created by Dutch architects Max Rink and Simon de Jong and designer Rachel Griffin, the temporary structure is made from pine wood with a charred exterior to protect it from the elements. Inside, the fire-proof structure features movable platforms that can accommodate a variety of activities and can fit up to 28 people.
Located in Vågsbunnen Square in Bergen, Norway, the Bergen Safe House is a celebration of both wood as a material and the city. Designed and built in just four days by Max Rink, Simon de Jong and Rachel Griffin, the temporary structure is a monument to Bergen’s venerable history of city fires. In fact, the city has burned down 16 times in the last 800 years. So to draw attention to the history and to ensure that it too will not succumb to flames, the designers torched the exterior. This charred outer layer protects the structure from fire, rot and insects, while leaving the interior untouched.
The tall and slender structure was built entirely with 5 x 5 cm pine beams and is open at the top to let in natural daylight. A small door on one side provides access to the interior. Then inside, there are a series of moveable platforms that can be arranged in different configurations. Children and adults both can climb up into the structure to sit, relax, read or even sleep. The platforms slide to accommodate different needs and in total 28 people can fit inside. The movable platforms are a means to socialize, connect, work or relax as well as a way to move vertically through the space.
Images ©Max Rink, Simon de John, Rachel Griffin