Bore Surf Hostel

Re-imagine, re-purpose, re-inhabit

The beachside surf hostel at Bore on the West coast of Jæren is an exploration of how we can reimagine and reuse existing building structures to create new architectural opportunities.

Location Bore Jæren, Norway

Client Stille og rolig AS

Status Completed 2018

Area 5100 m2

Typology Hostel

Bore is a well-known surf spot among the local and international surfing community, and therefore became the site for a new hostel to provide accommodation and a space for surfers to shelter and gather after being exposed out in the elements during the winter cold-water surf season.

Located back behind the line of sand dunes, the architecture echoes the language of a hamlet of small two storey volumes, organised around a shared, sheltered courtyard. This expression of stacked regular modules stems directly from the projects’ method of construction from re-purposed old industrial barracks, originally used by off-shore oil workers in the North Sea. Since then the modules were transported to Stavanger where Helen & Hard first transformed them into temporary housing for interns and creative professionals adjacent to the practice’s office. Before being given a new opportunity with Bore Surf School to re-imagine and re-purpose the structures, creating a new layer in their architectural history and sustainably recycling the building materials through their re-use.

A new layer of insulation and timber cladding wraps around the volumes, creating a protective skin against the harsh, exposed coastal weather conditions typical of the site. New windows are carefully orientated to frame specific views and maximise natural daylight. While coloured stained timber reveals articulate the play of positive and negative space and the three-dimensionality of the interlocking volumes.

The modules are arranged and stacked together to create sheltered pockets of outdoor space for the storage and drying of equipment, outdoor showers and communal places for barbeques and social gatherings. Balconies and small roof terraces create opportunities to enjoy the views out across the open landscape towards the dunes and the vast skies above.

Inside, efficient self-sustained dwelling units are combined with shared common spaces and sleeping rooms to create a diverse mix of residential opportunities for guests. The architecture aims to maximise the potential of the existing materials and respect the physical context of the natural local landscape, while also integrating within the existing social structures of the coastal community.