STF Växhuset Hostel Söderhamn

The hostel Solcellen has two four-bedded cabins and five two-bedded cabins housing accommodation for 18 people. The common room is four and a half metres in diameter, a perfect size and form for company. The standard is simple with shared showers and WC.

Solcellen is unique in using limited electricity and being heated by wood. Why did we build a house with twelve sides? There are several benefits to a house like this one. Firstly it’s almost round (12 sides are slightly easier to build than round) form means there are several benefits energy-wise. With a heat source in the middle of the building, it is easy to heat the whole house. A stove made of heavy material, such as soapstone, at the centre of the house. The distance from the stove to all the cabins which surround it is the same. It is easy to retain warmth without any draughty corners. Furthermore the area of the outside wall is less per square metre of floor space than in a square or rectangular house, thus saving energy. The circular form means that the distance between everyone staying in the house is the least possible. Both in physical terms and in terms of the feeling of togetherness. The cabins are placed round the outside walls.

The countryside here in Södra Norrland is characterised by vast forests, swamps, rivers and smooth mountains and hills formed by inland ice. Ekocentrum lies close to Lake Edesjön, a small forest lake, with plenty of fish and water that just invites you to take a dip. Here you can rent a rowing boat or a canoe and a fishing rod and, completely undisturbed, coax a few fish out of the water in a bay or take a rowing trip in the evening sunshine. We are in the process of creating an environmental and nature trail along Lake Edesjön up onto Djupdalsberget. There you can stop a while in the troll cave. From the top, you have mile-wide views over the Ljusnan valley. If you go alone you may chance upon a moose, a deer…or even a bear!