More and more people are building cabins inside the fjord. One of them is Palle Møller and his son Alataq Møller Karlsen, who are in the process of building a leisure cabin with a wilderness bath and sauna in Qooqqut.
As more people have moved to Nuuk and more have acquired boats, the number of recreational cabins in the open countryside has also increased significantly. Today, there are 705 recreational cabins around Nuuk. In addition, 34 tourist cabins, 6 institutional cabins and 15 camps have been registered, according to Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq’s land use authority.
As theAnnouncement
According to the municipality’s record system, the land use authority has received 134 cabin applications in 2024, including for new construction and change of ownership of cabins. This is a new record. Last year, the land use authority received 123 applications, while in 2020 it was down to 87 applications.
Arealtildeling i det åbne land
In Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq, you can apply for land allocation and building permits for cabins in the open countryside. The cabins must be a maximum of 40 m2.
You can either apply directly on the website www.nunagis.gl or you can contact the local citizen service center. You can also book a free preliminary dialogue, where you can get help from the municipality with your project and perhaps have some questions clarified before you start applying. Source: Sermersooq.gl
An impossible place
One of those who are in the process of building a holiday cabin is Palle Møller and his son Alataq Møller Karlsen. Two years ago they sailed past a certain place in Qooqqut and were struck by a very sloping mountain massif out to sea.
– We have chosen to build a cabin in a somewhat impossible place, says Palle Møller, who owns the jewelry workshop Kassoq in Nuuk. He has previously built a cabin from materials from the dump at Angisunnguaq and an allotment house in Denmark.
– When I came to Greenland almost 40 years ago, I actually built a cabin on Angisunnguaq from materials from the dump. In addition, I built – before I left for Greenland – an allotment house in Denmark. So I have some construction experience, and I like the process of building something from scratch. However, I also hired a carpenter, because it is not easy to build a foundation on such a sloping mountain. And anything is possible… The impossible just takes a little longer, adds Palle Møller with a smile.
Logistical challenges
Palle Mølle then applied to Kommuneqarfik Sermersooqs for an area allocation for the area in question.
– It went really smoothly. And since there were no objections to our land application, we were able to start making a building application, which consists of a sketch of the cabin with an indication of material, size, etc., after which we received the permit and were able to get started, says Palle Møller. The fact that the project is a bit impossible is what appeals to Palle Møller, and even though there are actually 10 cabins right next to each other, you can neither hear nor see them because of the terrain.
– The only thing I can hear is the restaurant’s rooster crowing in the morning. I pinch myself that we have found such a fantastic place, says Palle Møller, who has however had a number of challenges along the way, especially with logistics.
– Last year we built the foundation and part of the terrace, and then we spent the spring of this year getting the building materials by barge and helicopter, which had to be coordinated with wind, weather, high tide and people who could help carry the materials up to the area. – Now we can sit here afterwards and say wow, we did it really well. But along the way there were many challenges and many worries.
MOTOORI
The article is published in the supplement Motoori. You can find Motoori HERE
Sauna og terrasse
Palle Møller and his son are working on closing the cabin here during the autumn with the help of a carpenter. Next comes the finishing touches on the exterior, where a sauna with a cold water basin will be built. And then the interior awaits with the establishment of two large windows facing the fjord, kitchen, loft, etc. – We are not in a hurry, though. Our approach is that it is the process more than the result that we focus on. I don’t think I will ever be completely finished working on the cabin. And that’s how it should be, says Palle Møller.