Studies in wood

The installation has to be completed before the snow arrives. Sometimes stormy winds blow in and delay the process. Tore Kalland, project manager from Harald Nilsen, Thomas Orskaug, Abico Massivtre and Christoffer Lind, Setra, check the time.

Christoffer Lind, project manager at Setra, talks about meticulously planned deliveries, where each shipment is made in a specific order as requested by the customer. In order to achieve the special geometry of the building, Setra has pre-fabricated round beams and entire staircases in wood, which arrive in Båtsfjord with the steps already in place. The project makes use of structural elements that allow for quick installation.

“Time is a huge challenge for us all. Our customer, frame supplier Abico Massivtre, has to be ready at the appointed time. The construction window is unusually short in Båtsfjord, which is snow-free from June to October, after which everything grinds to a halt. The slightest error on our part has major consequences in such a time-sensitive business. We simply have to plan properly and deliver each shipment at exactly the right time.”

One of the biggest challenges is managing the logistics

The first three shipments were made at the end of May and the last shipment is due in late September. One of the biggest challenges of the project is managing the logistics, acknowledges Johann Hjalmars-son, CEO of Norwegian firm Abico.

“The transport distances are unusually long. We’ve done many wood projects, but never this far north. The distance from Setra’s factory is about 1,600 kilometres and our office in Oslo is 1,950 kilometres away. It’s not like you just swing home and pick up something you forgot,” says Johann.

Abico Massivtre is responsible for the design, supply and installation of the glulam and mass timber for the school in Båtsfjord. CLT from Setra is transported by truck, with between 35 and 40 cubic metres of wood in each load. Finding a really good logistics solution has been essential for the project.

“We carefully evaluate different delivery solutions in all our projects. Road transport makes most sense for Båtsfjord. We use a local carrier who delivers fish and other goods to Sweden and then has spare capacity on the way back. The wooden elements from Setra fill up what might otherwise have been an empty truck,” explains Johann.

The school is being built in a unique location with very particular conditions, and the building itself will be just as special, with rounded shapes, a boat-like appearance and lots of exposed wood in all interiors. Another challenge for the project is the weather, since Båtsfjord is exposed to strong winds and has many months of snow. The form of the school plays on the name of the town (Boat-fjord), but it is also designed to suit the conditions of the harsh landscape, explains Mikkel Stagis.

“Using geometric calculations of wind and snowfall, we arrived at a triangular shape with soft, rounded corners where snow can circulate freely around the building instead of forming heavy drifts. As there are long periods of darkness, we also focused on natural light conditions. The building needs to make use of all the available daylight,” says Mikkel.

Christoffer Lind is proud of Setra’s involvement in the construction of Båtsfjord’s school.

“This is an unusual and very cool project to be part of. What could be better suited to a fjord landscape than a real wooden ship,” Christoffer adds with a smile.


Text: Marie Karlsson
Image: Klas Sjöberg