A Former Cod Liver Oil Factory in Norway Turned Hotel by Tuckey Design Studio

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In the far north of Norway, above the Arctic Circle where daylight stretches—or vanishes—for months at a time, a former cod liver oil factory has been thoughtfully revived. On the island of Henningsvær in the Lofoten archipelago, Trevarefabrikken—once an industrial outpost and later abandoned—has found new life as a hotel, restaurant, and cultural space shaped by community effort and the careful hand of London-based Tuckey Design Studio.

The story of Trevarefabrikken is one of slow, collective transformation. When four friends purchased the derelict building in 2014, they began an ongoing experience in reuse—working with family, craftspeople, and volunteers contributing to its renewal. When they called upon Tuckey Design Studio to join in 2019, the goal was not reinvention but refinement: to introduce a layer of warmth and structure without diminishing the rough character of the original concrete shell. The result is a series of spaces designed with local timber, resin-polished floors, seafoam hues, and sustainable interventions. Here’s a look in and around the property.

Photography by Andrea Gjestvang, except where noted.

the dramatic landscape set among the vestfjorden sea. 17 — Above: The dramatic landscape set among the Vestfjorden sea.

the exterior of trevarefabrikken was re rendered in an insulated render to allo 18 — Above: The exterior of Trevarefabrikken was re-rendered in an insulated render to allow internal concrete to be stay exposed.

Whereas Tuckey Design Studio led the conceptualization and detailed design of the project, the owners and their cohort of builders, friends, and volunteers carried out the construction and carpentry work. The joinery and furniture was made by locals and travelers living at the hotel during the off season.