I want to live in one of these.... with a family of hobbits



They're Icelandic turf houses deliberately designed to provide strong insulation against the harsh climate in Iceland. They function much better than buildings made of wood or stone to keep the cold out in the winter and the heat out in the summer. They were originally constructed back in the 10th century with this point in mind as well as out of necessity because importing foreign timber wasn't very easy back in the day due to lack of transport to the remote regions of Iceland. Icelanders decided instead to make use of their vast amounts of turf.



The houses are made of flat stones upon which lie wooden frames which support the layers of turf. The turf was fitted around the frames in blocks and different patterns or arrangements. The floors of the turf houses were either covered with wood, stone or earth depending on the purpose of the building.The doors are made of wood and they are the only external wood on the house.

I don't like to use the word "quaint" as it almost sounds a little patronizing... but, well, they are quaint.



I'd quite like to hide away inside a house covered with greenery for a weekend although I'd prefer one that's fitted with a modern toilet. Apparently traditional houses came with communal attached toilets and so Icelanders used to go to the toilet in large groups. I'm not sure I'd like to practise that particular custom.



I think this one is my favorite...