Project: Fedje Hotel
Architect: Saunders Architecture – Bergen, Norway
Team Architects: Todd Saunders with Ryan Jorgensen and Éva Baráth
Renderings: MIR
Location: Fedje, Norway
Size: 5000 m2
The Fedje Hotel, envisioned by Saunders Architecture, stands as a beacon of hope and renewal for the small island community of Fedje, Norway.
With a population of only 530 inhabitants, Fedje is a remote island community located just a couple of hours’ journey from Bergen. Accessible only by ferry, it offers a picturesque but isolated setting. Like many rural communities, Fedje has faced challenges stemming from depopulation, as younger generations sought opportunities elsewhere, leaving behind an aging population.
However, recent developments, including the establishment of the Feddie Distillery and plans for a new hotel, have injected a renewed sense of optimism into the island. The distillery, along with local residents, is spearheading efforts to revitalize Fedje, embracing the island’s natural beauty and resources as key assets.
The proposed Fedje Hotel, designed by Todd Saunders, symbolizes this spirit of reinvention and community collaboration. It promises to be more than just a place to stay; it represents a catalyst for economic growth, cultural revitalization, and environmental stewardship. With climate-positive ambitions and a commitment to local values, the hotel aims to serve as a hub for both residents and visitors, offering a unique blend of hospitality and sustainability.
“If it had just been a proposal to build a hotel I would not have accepted the commission. So many destinations invest in just one single project. I don’t have much faith in that idea. The people at Feddie, together with the locals, are thinking bigger and wider than that. It’s the nuances and all the surrounding elements that create the whole picture; that’s what creates a place people will long to return to. To travel to an island just to drink whisky – that’s boring. There has to be a lot more to it: we have to design an experience. What’s on your bucket list? At which restaurant would you wish to eat your last meal? Fedje deserves its place on that map.”
What does that bigger picture on Fedje look like for travelers in a frenzied world? “We need to step out of time. We’re drowning in everything digital and need to reclaim the analogue.
“We need to holiday away from the world; to disconnect, not to connect up. We need breaks and breathing spaces. When we speak of “island time” we’re talking about time that is regulated by the sea, where everything moves beautifully slowly. When you come to islands like that, you re-discover a different concept of time that has been lost for many people. When we build a hotel on the island’s finest building plot, we need to highlight the landscape. It should be like an exclamation mark that brings out the best of its surroundings. We need to give the island a voice. Fedje is rugged, with lots of weather. Modern-day people have to queue up and live tightly packed. It’s different up north: at Fedje it’s all quiet. You can hear the sea: with the windows open you can get a good night’s sleep and wake up to no other sound than the waves.”
In essence, the Fedje Hotel project embodies the resilience and determination of the island’s inhabitants to shape their own future, leveraging their natural assets and collective ingenuity to create a vibrant and sustainable community for generations to come.
