At the Peak of Design: Asko Lax Reflects on the Creation of Hotel Iso-Syöte

How did you get into architecture?

When I was nine, my father bought me a book featuring famous places and designs, including the St. Louis Arch by Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen and Chandigarh, the dream city of India's first Prime Minister, planned by the renowned French architect Le Corbusier. One building in Chandigarh, perched by a pond and surrounded by local people, left a strong impression on me, and I decided I wanted to pursue something similar in my life.

In Pudasjärvi, the small town in northern Finland where I was born, architecture was one of the few creative professions people considered. I began my studies in Oulu, where the nearest architecture school was located. After a couple of years working as a designer for the largest log house manufacturer in the world, the Great Depression of the 1990s hit Finland, prompting me to refocus on education. I learned that Art Center College of Design, a prestigious school in Los Angeles, had opened a campus in Switzerland. Having always been interested in furniture design, I applied and was accepted as the only Finnish student.

While I focused on furniture design during the 1990s, I eventually returned to architecture. This led to many exciting opportunities, including designing a log hotel in Eastern Siberia and a log house for the former president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev. Over the past decade, I’ve primarily worked directly with clients, which has brought me to fascinating projects in places like India. I first visited India in 2008, and since then, I have always hoped that the market there would open up to large-scale wood projects, which has become my area of expertise.

And how did you get involved in Iso-Syöte?

That's another childhood story. My father was the editor of a local newspaper where I worked during the summers. He was very involved in improving the area and promoted the idea of building a ski resort. At the age of 13, I decided to sketch a design for the resort, and it was published in the newspaper in 1974. Although it took nearly a decade for the project to be realized, I'm quite sure I was the first to envision it.

Then, in 2018, there was a tragic accident—a crack in the wall behind the fireplace caused a fire, and the hotel burned down just before Christmas. The following month, I heard on the radio that they were looking for designers to help with the rebuilding. Feeling inspired, I quickly made a hand-drawn sketch and sent it to the owner. He called me an hour later and said, "Let's get started." For me, of course, it had started almost half a century earlier.

What are the main considerations when building in extreme climates like Siberia or northern Finland? 

Well it adds an element of time pressure in order to avoid building in the harshest weather, which takes rigid planning. That's of course true in every extreme climate. If there's heavy snowfall, you must consider that the whole site must be cleared every morning, while in other places, such as India where I'm currently involved in a project, roofing had to be prioritized in anticipation of the monsoon season. So seasonal planning is the main differentiator whether you're dealing with snow, rain, heat or cold. 

What vision and creative framework did you set out with? 

I started, as I always do, by analyzing the plot. It might sound cliché to say you need to "feel" the place out, but I can't overstate the importance of that. I always visit the building sites, no matter how far away, before I begin designing. I rely heavily on 3D designs to get the right heights and proportions—something I've done since the beginning of my career. At Art Center in Switzerland, we were trained on the same software used for designing Jurassic Park, which was cutting-edge at the time. I think I was one of the pioneers in Finland using this type of technology. I have immense respect for generations of architects and builders who achieved incredible structures by doing all the calculations and sketches by hand.

For Iso-Syöte, I didn’t want to impose something square or boxy on such an organic landscape. Instead, I let the shapes and features of the hotel be somewhat carved out by the terrain. That was fairly easy for me to envision since I grew up in the area. The challenge was reconciling that creative approach with the economic constraints, which often push toward more rigid structures. Fortunately, it all worked out, thanks largely to the owner, who was always open to new ideas and wanted that "wild" feel of the place.

I haven't visited the site myself but I've seen pictures from the rooms of expansive views and Northern Lights.

Yes, the location is truly spectacular, with the hotel situated right at the peak of the hill. There’s no other hotel in Finland positioned on such a vantage point. Naturally, the surrounding environment became the central theme of the design. In practice, this translated into a sense of humility—the focus should be on the natural beauty, with everything else being secondary.

The driveway leading up to the hotel is surrounded by dense forest, so the stunning view doesn’t reveal itself until you reach the lobby. That element of surprise was a key feature in the design. Now that we’re extending the hotel by another 2,000 square meters, all rooms and suites will offer the same breathtaking view. While integrating buildings with nature is a common theme globally, I genuinely believe this particular view is unique.

Capturing that view required big windows. How did that effect the energy consumption in such a cold place?
The main challenge is wind pressure, rather than energy loss. Energy typically escapes through the ceiling and roof, so the key to addressing this is good insulation—something we are quite skilled at in the North. In warmer regions, the reverse applies: good insulation helps reduce the energy consumption needed for air conditioning.

However, large windows can indeed heat up a room somewhat so you need to find a balance between maximizing the view and limiting the use of glass, even though window technology is becoming more energy-efficient. There are also design solutions that help, such as incorporating proper eaves to provide shade.

You're also known for sustainable designs – I believe the hotel features geothermal heating and locally sourced mataterials? 

That’s true, but sustainability is also about how we use materials, whether locally sourced or not. Here in Finland, we have the most advanced log manufacturing industry in the world. While the technology can be exported, the generations of expertise—like how to replant trees effectively and care for forests—is equally important.

When it comes to materials, I live in a log house built by my wife’s ancestors 252 years ago. To me, the secret to sustainability is durability. With proper treatment of materials and good building techniques, we can keep the carbon locked inside the wood for many generations. Imagine if her ancestors had followed some trend of building a flat roof—what do you think would be left for me to renovate? Essentially, a pile of sawdust. So, understanding how materials work is just as important as where you source them. You need to learn the rules, like maintaining the wood and ensuring water is directed away with sloped roofs and proper eaves. In a nutshell, I believe architects should have smaller egos and bigger roofs.

I meant to ask you about a dream project but considering you made a first sketch of the hotel when you were 13, maybe Iso-Syöte already falls into that category? 

Well, Frank Lloyd Wright’s career did experience a significant setback before he designed the iconic Fallingwater in 1935, when he was in his late sixties. Fallingwater was a turning point that revitalized his career, leading to even greater achievements. I'm also in my sixties, and if we consider Iso-Syöte as my "Fallingwater," I too hope that there’s much more ahead for me to accomplish. One of the things I’m excited about is returning to furniture design, which was my focus before I set everything else aside to design the hotel. I now have a furniture company with my son, where we’ve already created a collection of chairs, and we're currently working on expanding our lines further.

SAPA Producer/Customer: Alutec Oy

SAPA Products: SAPA 4150 and SAPA 5050

Architect: Asko Lax

Project name: Iso-Syöte

Photographer: Jouni Ketola