During a virtual ceremony in New York last week, the 2020 Gold Key judges selected Stylt and their design for Pater Noster, a weather-beaten 152-year-old lighthouse master’s residence on the Swedish west-coast, as winners for the “Judges So Cool” category from a highly competitive field of 350 submissions from more than 100 design firms around the world.
“It really is a sign of the times that a place that is so inaccessible, weather-exposed and barren beats traditional luxury,” says Stylt’s founder Erik Nissen Johansen. “Pater Noster delivers exactly what today’s guests are looking for – authenticity, personality and privacy spiced with fantastic nature experiences and a thrilling history. Low-key luxury with a dash of roughness!”
It was during the spring of 2020 that a group of Swedish entrepreneurs signed a lease contract with the National Property Board of Sweden to conduct business on Pater Noster, located on the tiny island of Hamneskär on the Swedish westcoast. Prior to an extensive renovation of the island’s old lighthouse keeper’s residence, Stylt was commissioned to develop Pater Noster as a destination and to create a concept for a unique and personal hotel. Inspired by the lighthouse masters’ old home and the lighthouse’s 152-year history, Stylt designed nine guest rooms, a restaurant and living room with a bar, and developed a range of experiences focusing on the sea, food and drink.
“We call it a home on the horizon rather than a hotel,” says Erik Nissen Johansen, who is also a partner in the project together with Stylt’s CEO Elisabeth Johansen. Since we started the project, the ambition has been to establish Pater Noster as one of Sweden’s top destinations.”
Since opening this summer, there’s been a lot of global interest. Vogue, Condé Nast Traveller and Forbes are just a few that put Pater Noster high on their lists of “must-experience destinations” around the world, something that is highly appreciated by the National Property Board of Sweden.
“Our role is to preserve and refine Pater Noster and get more people to discover this cultural heritage,” says Thomas Andreasson, property manager at National Property Board of Sweden. “So, we are more than happy that this isolated lighthouse has ended up in the spotlight.”
