Beautiful and sustainable in an arctic climate

“For the glazed balconies, we were looking for cladding with that little something 
extra. It was then we came upon the wavy version of SCA Lynx, which gives a soft and 
beautiful impression,” says Håvar Gaski Brevik, one of the partners in Varanger Invest.

Vadsø is one of the coastal communities on the route of the Hurtigrutten Coastal Express. Tourists are often fascinated by the vastness of the rugged Arctic landscape. In summer, visitors can enjoy the midnight sun, while in winter there is a chance of seeing the aurora borealis.

Sea views

Håvar Gaski Brevik and his brother Torjus run Varanger Invest here in Vadsø, renovating and building property. Earlier this year, an interesting business opportunity presented itself. The building that was once home to the local newspaper was up for sale, in what they considered to be a perfect location.

“The building is in the town centre only a few metres from the seafront. The views across the harbour and the Barents Sea are amazing,” says Håvar Gaski Brevik.

After making a successful bid, the brothers began planning. They decided to tear out everything down to the concrete frame and begin from scratch. The entire fl oor plan was redrawn in collaboration with an architect and the building was transformed for residential use, with nine apartments on three fl oors and a garage on the bottom level.

The obvious thing was to take full advantage of the views. The apartments were therefore designed with generous balconies, glazed to extend the season. 

“The balconies are both a splendid place to spend time and an ornament on the building,” explains Håvar Gaski Brevik.

Standing up to wind and salt 

When the time came to choose materials for the building, Varanger Invest was focused on two things: durability and beauty.

“The materials need to be able to cope with the harsh weather conditions in Vadsø without requiring too much maintenance. The area doesn’t get a great deal of precipitation, but it is often cold and windy. And as the building is only a few metres away from the sea there’s a lot of salt in the air, which is something else we have to take into account,” says Håvar Gaski Brevik.

Shadow-effect panelling

Aesthetic considerations were also important to Håvar Gaski Brevik and his brother and they were keen to do something out of the ordinary on the internal balcony walls, something that stood out. At a trade fair, they came across SCA Lynx, an exterior panel that can be ordered in a wavy design.

“The wavy version of SCA Lynx is different and dramatic. The undulating shape gives a softer impression and, in addition to the balcony walls, we also chose to use it on the entrance to the building. For the balcony ceilings, we chose the plain version,” says Håvar Gaski Brevik.

The wavy version of SCA Lynx also has an additional effect in that it creates shifting shadows as the sun moves across the sky. The effect changes constantly depending on how the light falls during the day and with the changing seasons.

“It’s much more vibrant and varied,” Håvar Gaski Brevik affirms.

The panels around the entrance will be highly exposed to weather and wind and, as the balcony glazing can be opened up, these panels too will be exposed to the Arctic climate.

“But of course, wood is very durable. That’s one of the main reasons we chose it,” says Håvar Gaski Brevik.

Matches the flowing facade

SCA Lynx perfectly matches the other materials chosen for the building’s exterior.

“The facade is clad in Plannja Sinus a similarly undulating sheet metal. The wavy version of SCA Lynx echoes this shape really well.” 

The sheet metal is metallic silver, while the SCA Lynx is in a colour called Natural Aged, a bright and warm shade of beige. The colour combination is both harmonious and striking.

“It will turn out really well, just as we had envisioned,” says Håvar Gaski Brevik.