Traditional Saami habitat
The oldest indigenous people in the region, the Saami are extensive reindeer herders, and are therefore mainly nomadic due to their transhumance. The lavvu tent is the preferred habitat for these seasonal movements. It's supported by a tripod of long, forked branches criss-crossed at the top, onto which a dozen or so poles are then assembled. This wooden frame is then covered with reindeer skins, or today, more often than not, with canvas. At the center of the tent is a hearth, whose smoke escapes through the open top of the tent. The Saami also developed another type of dwelling: the goahti. This round or conical hut has a frame of 4 birch poles bent to form 2 arches. The whole structure is assembled using wooden dowels and no nails. This framework is then covered with birch bark, held in place by layers of turf, moss or peat. The final structure often rests on stones or is held in place by wooden stakes to ensure stability. Here again, the hearth is the central element of the habitat. The cladding of these huts is reminiscent of the traditional wooden houses of these northern regions, whose roofs are often covered with peat squares on which turf then grows, providing perfect insulation for the house. These homes were originally built from stacked rough-hewn logs, which were then worked with an axe and fitted together with notches for greater stability. These houses have a simple rectangular floor plan and generally feature just one main room. Using local materials and integrating into the environment, these traditional homes are the first form of sustainable housing!
The architecture of a coveted territory
The first to covet this legendary land were the Vikings. Gjesvaer, Norway, still boasts remnants of the original Viking village. The country also boasts the most northerly fortresses in the world! The fortresses of Vardǿ and Alta bear witness to the tensions between Norwegians, Karelians, Swedes and Russians. Coveted Lapland was also subject to an evangelization campaign, which led to a proliferation of churches. Don't miss the church in Sodankylä, Finland. Dating from 1689, it has retained all its authenticity with its wooden tile roof, steep gables, carved masts and sumptuous rough-hewn wood interior. Tromsǿ, in Norway, preserves the remains of a 13th-century wooden church. It undoubtedly belonged to the stavkirke or "standing wooden churches", masterpieces of medieval wooden architecture with complex multi-level structures. In Inari and Utsjoki, Finland, you can also see examples of church villages. These consist of wooden huts organized around the church and designed to shelter worshippers from remote areas. The church remains the flagship building in towns created in the 19th and 20th centuries, at a time when mineral and metal deposits were attracting all kinds of interest. This is particularly true of Kiruna, with its red wooden church. Kiruna's town center is being relocated to allow the mine to expand... so its church has literally been transported to the new Kiruna! Mines, hydroelectric power stations and dams now carve up the landscape, accompanied by the creation of new towns... sometimes a little sad. Fortunately, the fishermen's villages with their colorful wooden houses (color is not only aesthetic, but also practical, as it protects the wood!) and the farmhouses, also painted in bright colors, with slate or tree bark and grass roofs, are a reminder that traditions have not said their last word!
Contemporary wealth
For architecture buffs, Rovaniemi is the place to be. The official capital of Lapland was entirely designed by the famous Finnish architect Alvar Aalto. To rebuild the city destroyed by bombing in 1944, Aalto imagined a plan in the shape of... a reindeer's head! The center of the city is in the head, with the eye represented by the Keskuskenttä stadium, while the north, south and west roads represent the antlers. Here, Aalto built the Administrative and Cultural Centre, including the Town Hall, the Library and Maison Lappia, as well as the Korkalorinne residential area. Here, you'll discover a blend of modernism and respect for folk traditions. Other must-sees include the Jätkänkynttila Bridge, which takes its name and shape from a type of torch carved in wood, and the Arktikum, with its 172 m-long glass roof. Another contemporary creation not to be missed is Tromsǿ Arctic Cathedral, with its silhouette of glass and concrete splitting the horizon. The Sami, too, use contemporary architecture to preserve their culture. The Sami Parliament in Karasjok, Norway, for example, features a semi-circular structure terminating at one end in a lavvu tent plenary hall, while the interiors give pride of place to wood. In Inari, the Sajos Cultural Centre, which also serves as a parliament, has a striking floor plan that incorporates the calligraphy of the Sami word for "base camp" and beautifully combines rough and smooth woods. The Sami also pass on their culture in self-designed ethno-tourism sites such as Sam Syïté not far from Lovozero, on the Kola Peninsula. Lovozero is home to the Sami National Center, whose concrete silhouette is that of a lavvu tent . Meanwhile, innovative sustainable structures continue to spring up across Lapland, such as the Arctic Guesthouse with its floating glass igloos, the IceHotel in Kiruna, the Glass Resort with its glass and wood houses and large glazed exteriors, and soon the incredible project led by Bjarke Ingels to transform the resort of Levi into the "Koutalaki Ski Village" with curved glass and light granite buildings and roofs that can be transformed into... ski slopes. Lapland has more than enough surprises in store for you!
