Nature House in Arctic Norway: A Cob Home Inside a Glass Geodesic Dome

On the island of Sandhornøya in northern Norway, north of the Arctic Circle, a family lives in a cob house wrapped inside a glass geodesic dome. Benjamin and Ingrid Hjertefølger moved into their Nature House in 2013, and photographs of the glowing dome under the northern lights soon travelled around the world.

A glowing glass dome beneath a green and cloudy night sky in coastal Norway — Nature House appears as a small pool of warm light in the northern landscape. Credit: Hjertefølger family / Nature House.

Nature House on Sandhornøya

The project combines two buildings in one. The outer shell is a transparent geodesic dome; inside it stands a separate earthen house with its own walls, windows and balconies. The space between the two works as a large greenhouse, with plants, paths and sitting areas sheltered from the coastal weather while the sea and mountains stay in view.

A glass geodesic dome with a wooden entrance and plants visible inside — The outer dome surrounds a separate home and growing space. Credit: Hjertefølger family / Nature House.

Triangular glass panels revealing textured walls and plants inside Nature House — The close view brings the glass framework and the inner house into the same frame. Credit: Hjertefølger family / Nature House.

The glass geodesic dome: size and construction

According to the project description on Ongreening, the dome was credited to Benjamin Hjertefølger and Solardome and measures 15 metres across and 7.5 metres high, built from 360 glass panels. The frequently quoted figure of three weeks refers to the on-site assembly of the dome, not to the whole house.

A geodesic dome is made of a network of triangles, which spreads loads evenly across the frame and lets a light structure enclose a large volume. For Nature House, that means a big, bright, wind-sheltered space on an exposed Arctic coast.

Glass dome panels beside a timber deck overlooking water and mountains — The deck opens the view towards the surrounding coast. Credit: Hjertefølger family / Nature House.

Timber balcony and curved earthen walls beneath the glass dome — The house has its own walls, windows and balcony inside the transparent shell. Credit: Hjertefølger family / Nature House.

A cob and straw-bale home inside

The inner house is built from cob, a traditional building material made from an earth mixture of sand, clay and organic material such as straw, shaped by hand into thick walls. Another level uses straw-bale construction. Cob suits curved forms, which is why the photographs show rounded doorways, sculpted surfaces and a handmade feel throughout.

The construction account also lists insulation, attention to airtightness and mechanical ventilation with heat recovery. Those details matter in a northern winter: the dome slows the wind and catches sunlight, but the inner house still needs a well-sealed, insulated envelope to stay warm.

Two interior views showing a rounded doorway and textured shower area — Rounded openings and sculpted surfaces give the interior a handmade character. Credit: Hjertefølger family / Nature House.

A long dining table with timber seating and decorated walls inside Nature House — The dining area brings the unusual architecture down to the scale of daily life. Credit: Hjertefølger family / Nature House.

Passive solar heat and a greenhouse garden

The dome works on passive solar principles. Sunlight passes through the glass and warms the air, soil and walls inside; heavy materials such as earth store that heat and release it slowly. The US Department of Energy's guide to passive solar design explains how glazing, thermal mass and insulation work together.

In Inhabitat's interview with the family, growing food is a central part of life at Nature House. The glass gives plants a sheltered, sunlit space on an exposed coast, though daylight in the Arctic winter still sets the limits on what grows.

A person practising yoga on a timber floor beneath the dome — An open area beneath the glazing, pictured in the original collection. Credit: Hjertefølger family / Nature House.

Winter, snow and the northern lights

The winter photographs show snow resting on the panels and drifts around the base, while the night views turn the dome into a lantern beneath the aurora. For travellers, coastal northern Norway is one of Europe's classic aurora regions; our guide below covers where to go.