Early 2010 the Kontio Aurinkometsä (a forest of sun) was the first candidly modern log house. The house gave direction to the whole log building industry and it has been vastly admired. It elevated modern log architecture to a whole new level. At first the bare exterior caused confusion. Can a log house really appear so different to what it has traditionally been? Now the Aurinkometsä style of architecture feels quite ordinary.

The impressive look of the Aurinkometsä style is created with the large windows of the leisure area as well as the combination of garble and pent roofs. The interior of this house, built in middle-Finland, Vaasa, was done in modern style but it is still welcoming and warm.

Soapstone, another natural material, was chosen to accompany the light, slightly translucent log walls. Different kinds of tiles made of soapstone were chosen for the floors and walls of wet spaces. The interior textiles and furniture, on the other hand, have light, natural shades of greys and browns. They add warmth to the otherwise light look.

According to Hannu Määttä, the builder of the house and sales person for Kontio, people who have visited Aurinkometsä have been fascinated. “A lot of people expected a log house to be old-fashioned and dimly lit, and they were surprised by the amount of light, space and light colors in the house”.

The architecture also persuaded three families, who had originally opted for a stone house, to build a log house instead. “The wellbeing enhancing and breathing quality of log are nowadays easy to provide also for those who like modern architecture”.

See Aurinkometsä model