An Interview with Peteris Vasuks, Co-Founder of NordCabin

Founded in the cradle of Latvia’s renowned wood industry, NordCabin embodies a blend of tradition and innovation. This modular cabin business, launched in 2021 by Peteris Vasuks and Mikus Zībergs, has rapidly gained recognition for its sustainable approach to prefab housing. With decades of experience between them, the founders aim to make high-quality modular cabins accessible and affordable without compromising on design or craftsmanship.


Key Takeaways:

  • NordCabin crafts sustainable modular homes using innovative Cross-Laminated Timber technology
  • Pioneering Recycled CLT construction reduces waste while maintaining structural integrity
  • High-quality design combines natural materials with large windows to enhance living spaces
  • Baltic wood innovation ecosystem enables efficient resource utilization

How would you describe NordCabin’s mission and values?

Our mission is to craft tiny homes that bring together sustainability, innovative design, and exceptional living experiences. We value purposeful construction, ensuring every cabin not only meets rigorous environmental standards but also enhances the well-being of its inhabitants.

We’re future-focused, building sustainable homes that can be accessible to a wider audience. Sustainability, quality, and affordability form the foundation of everything we do. We go beyond being ‘eco-friendly’ by integrating circular economy principles into our work, using materials like Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) and Recycled CLT (ReCLT). This ensures our homes leave a minimal environmental footprint while being durable and affordable.

Why is Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) so important in your construction approach?

CLT perfectly embodies our values of strength, sustainability, and efficiency. It’s renewable, reduces waste, and has significantly less environmental impact compared to materials like concrete or steel. Its prefabricated nature speeds up construction, reduces errors, and minimizes site disruption.

From a technical perspective, CLT offers outstanding thermal and acoustic insulation, ensuring year-round comfort and lower energy consumption for heating and cooling. Aesthetically, its natural, warm appearance connects our homes to nature, creating spaces that feel alive. It’s also highly versatile, allowing us to design modern, distinctive structures while maintaining durability.


NordCabin is part of an innovation hub alongside Forma, a renowned woodworking machinery company, and with Nordic CLT, a specialist in engineered wood products such as CLT and Glulam. One of their most promising advancements is the development of Recycled CLT (ReCLT), a breakthrough that minimizes construction waste by transforming production residues into valuable materials for large-scale wooden structures.


Recycled CLT: Puting CLT back in long CO2 life cycle products

Your cabins are the first to use Recycled CLT (ReCLT) as a base structure. What makes this material so significant?

ReCLT is a game-changer—Vasuks says, his passion evident. It transforms what would otherwise be waste—offcuts from timber production—into a valuable construction material.

This innovation aligns perfectly with our goal of zero-residue technology. Environmentally, ReCLT extends the carbon-sequestration benefits of timber. Instead of contributing to emissions through disposal or burning, these materials gain a second life. Economically, it reduces costs, enabling us to make sustainable housing more affordable. From a manufacturing standpoint, ReCLT is efficient: it retains up to 80% of the strength of original CLT, making it reliable for structural applications.

This material exemplifies the circular economy in action. It’s a testament to how sustainability and practicality can go hand in hand.

Combining durability, beauty, and sustainability seems central to your work. Can you elaborate on your design philosophy?

At NordCabin, design is where functionality meets emotion. Our cabins aren’t just buildings—they’re spaces that nurture well-being and deepen connections to nature.

Durability is a cornerstone of our designs. We use CLT and ReCLT for their long-lasting qualities and incorporate ventilated timber facades to protect against moisture, extending the life of the building envelope. Internally, surfaces like white-stained CLT combine strength with an airy aesthetic.

Beauty, for us, is simplicity. Clean lines, natural materials, and timeless details create homes that integrate seamlessly into their surroundings. We prioritize finishes that are both elegant and sustainable, such as biobased, emission-free paints and Rubio Monocoat for wood protection.

Our goal is to create homes where every detail—from the materials to the finishes—contributes to a space that feels good to live in and reflects a deeper respect for the planet.

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You’ve highlighted the role of windows in your cabins. Why are they such a key element?

Windows are critical, both technically and aesthetically. They influence energy efficiency, sustainability, and the overall living experience.

At NordCabin, we use high-quality wooden windows with structural glazing, which protects the wooden frame from weathering and UV damage, extending its lifespan. These windows are engineered for exceptional thermal and acoustic insulation, ensuring year-round comfort while reducing energy use.

Design-wise, windows are a bridge between the indoors and the natural world. We strategically place large windows to maximise natural light and frame picturesque views. This not only enhances the sense of openness but also strengthens the connection to nature—a core element of our philosophy.

What role does NordCabin play within the Baltic wood innovation hub?

We’re part of an ecosystem that spans the entire wood transformation cycle. Forma provides advanced machinery, Nordic CLT supplies engineered wood products, and NordCabin transforms these materials into finished modular homes. This holistic approach maximises resource efficiency and drives innovation.

Our goal is simple: to combine craftsmanship, technology, and sustainability to offer clients the best modular solutions while honouring the rich wood heritage of the Baltic region.

Concluding Perspectives: The NordCabin Vision

NordCabin represents a fresh perspective in modular housing through their innovative use of Cross-Laminated Timber and pioneering Recycled CLT technology. Their approach transforms construction waste into valuable building materials while maintaining exceptional quality standards.

Operating within Latvia’s wood innovation hub enables seamless integration of sustainability across all operations. Strategic design elements, from energy-efficient windows to biobased finishes, create bright, nature-connected spaces built for longevity.

The company’s combination of traditional craftsmanship and modern innovation demonstrates how environmental responsibility aligns with practical, beautiful living spaces. Through these efforts, NordCabin advances affordable, sustainable housing solutions while honouring Baltic woodworking heritage.

Ready to experience the future of modular living? Browse through Spassio’s detailed pricing and configurations to find the perfect sustainable home for your needs.

 

NordCabin and Spassio Teams Connecting
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