Woman Encloses Home in Huge Greenhouse to Keep a Warm Environment and Grow Fresh Food Year-Round
The brutal Norwegian winters linger for months, making it a battle against nature itself. Freezing temperatures push heating costs through the roof, while fresh food becomes a luxury, imported from miles away. As such, surviving in those extreme conditions demands more than just thick walls and heavy coats—it requires innovation. For one architect, Margit-Kristine Solibakke Klev, she found a way to turn this challenge into an opportunity: by enclosing her entire home in a massive greenhouse, she created a warm, self-sustaining sanctuary that naturally conserves energy, produces fresh food, and fosters well-being.
Instead of fighting against the elements, her greenhouse home works with them, proving that sustainability isn’t just about survival—it’s about thriving in harmony with nature.
How a Greenhouse Transforms a Home into a Warm Oasis
At the heart of this innovative design is the simple yet powerful concept of passive solar energy. The protective glass shell of the greenhouse captures and traps sunlight, turning every day into a natural heating cycle. As the sun warms the interior, the house transforms into a sanctuary that holds onto that heat, releasing it slowly when the chill of night sets in. Even when the mercury dips to freezing levels outside, the home remains a cozy haven, proving that thoughtful design can make extreme climates not just survivable but comfortable.
Beyond just retaining warmth, the greenhouse serves as a robust shield against nature’s harshest elements. Heavy winds, biting frost, and relentless snow are all kept at bay, protecting the structure and enhancing its longevity. Inspired by Sweden’s Naturhus concept, this design isn’t about battling nature—it’s about working with it, aligning the rhythms of our built environment with the natural world. In doing so, it creates an oasis where modern living and sustainable innovation coexist harmoniously.
Klev’s House Within a House
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Margit-Kristine Solibakke Klev’s home is more than just a house—it’s a house within a house. The greenhouse, covering nearly 360 square meters, shelters a two-story wooden home made of red pine, creating a natural buffer against the extreme Norwegian climate. This design allows her family to move fluidly between spaces as the seasons change, using the greenhouse as an extended living area for most of the year while retreating to the cozy wooden core during the coldest months.
From spring to late autumn, the space between the glass and the wooden house becomes a sunlit sanctuary where the family can relax, grow food, and entertain guests. The kitchen, designed with a wide glass frontage, opens up completely in the summer, blending indoor and outdoor living. Klev even built an additional kitchen on the roof—perfect for hosting family gatherings and celebrations under the open sky.
Every element of the home is tailored for comfort and sustainability. A pink clay floor on the ground level feels warm and soft underfoot, while custom colors for walls, furniture, and decor reflect the personalities of the family members. More than just a shelter, this home adapts with the seasons, offering a vibrant, functional space that nurtures both people and nature.
A Home That Nourishes: Food, Sustainability, and Well-Being
By enclosing her home in glass, Klev has created the perfect environment for year-round food production, growing fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs even in the dead of winter. In a country where most produce is imported due to harsh weather conditions, her home allows her to cultivate everything from tomatoes and cucumbers to Mediterranean herbs and figs. With full control over the growing environment, she ensures her family has access to organic, pesticide-free food while drastically reducing reliance on store-bought produce.
Beyond food, the greenhouse home supports a fully sustainable lifestyle. Rainwater is collected and repurposed for irrigation, reducing waste and ensuring consistent hydration for plants. Organic kitchen scraps and garden trimmings are composted, enriching the soil naturally. The greenhouse also prevents excessive evaporation, helping maintain moisture levels without excessive watering. Every element of the home is designed to minimize environmental impact while promoting a balanced, regenerative way of living.
This connection to nature goes beyond practicality—it enhances well-being. Studies show that exposure to greenery reduces stress, improves mood, and increases overall happiness. In Norway, where long winters bring months of darkness, the greenhouse provides a year-round source of sunlight, helping to combat seasonal depression.
For Klev and her family, this home is more than just a place to live—it’s a sanctuary that nourishes both the body and mind, proving that sustainable living isn’t just about reducing impact; it’s about creating a healthier, more fulfilling way of life.
But Is a Greenhouse Home All Sunshine and Rainbows?
While a greenhouse home offers warmth, sustainability, and year-round food production, it also comes with unique challenges. One of the biggest concerns is temperature regulation. In winter, heat must be retained efficiently, while in summer, excessive warmth can turn the space into an oven. To balance this, Klev designed her home with ventilation systems, strategically placed windows, and thermal mass materials like stone and water tanks that absorb and slowly release heat. This ensures a stable indoor climate, no matter the season.
Structural integrity is another key factor, especially in Norway’s extreme weather conditions. The greenhouse must be strong enough to withstand heavy snow, strong winds, and fluctuating temperatures. To address this, Klev’s design incorporates durable materials such as reinforced glass and a sturdy wooden framework, preventing damage from the elements. Regular maintenance, including clearing snow buildup and managing moisture levels, helps keep the structure in top condition.
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Managing an indoor garden inside a living space also requires careful planning. Controlling humidity is crucial to prevent mold growth, while natural pest management techniques help keep plants healthy without chemical interventions. By integrating sustainable solutions such as composting, companion planting, and proper ventilation, Klev has created a thriving, low-maintenance ecosystem. Her approach proves that with the right strategies, greenhouse homes can be both practical and resilient, paving the way for more sustainable living in extreme climates.
A Blueprint for the Future of Sustainable Homes
Margit-Kristine Solibakke Klev’s greenhouse home is more than an architectural experiment—it’s a vision of the future. By integrating passive solar energy, sustainable food production, and natural climate control, her home challenges conventional housing norms. It proves that sustainability doesn’t mean sacrificing comfort but rather rethinking how homes interact with the environment. Her approach offers a compelling alternative for those looking to reduce their ecological footprint while enhancing their quality of life.
While not everyone can enclose their home in glass, the principles behind Klev’s design—harnessing natural energy, reducing waste, and living in closer harmony with nature—can be applied in many ways. Green roofs, solar panels, rainwater collection systems, and indoor gardens are just a few elements that can make traditional homes more self-sufficient. As climate challenges grow more pressing, these innovations could inspire a shift toward smarter, more adaptable living spaces.
Klev’s home stands as a testament to what’s possible when sustainability and design work together. It is not just a place to live—it’s a model for a future where homes don’t just shelter us but nourish, sustain, and connect us to the natural world. As more people seek ways to live more harmoniously with their surroundings, homes like hers may no longer be an exception but a blueprint for a new way of living.