Trekronaa is a treehouse situated amongst pine trees at Ogna, in the southwest of Norway. The design is inspired by the architects childhood memories of treetops, and the shape of the pine cone. The cabin is lifted from the ground by 3 tilted steel-legs, and is built on a steel frame. The focus during the built, was to mostly use local materials as well as interior details. The cabin is only 15 square meters small, but holds all the functions needed. Due to the small size, is was important to use the space wisely, without letting it compromise the design.
Designed by Manuela Hardy
Recognized by A' Design Award.
My main focus on using natural light and exposure to create interesting spaces. I am also very fond of sustainable solutions in every part of the process. This is also where my interest for this work started. I am educated at Fiuni school of architecture & design, Stavanger (ex.2011). A New interest is Furniture design wich I participate With in this competition. I love to create Things, it gives me a New energy and I almost use it as a therapy in my everyday life.
Manuela Hardy has A++ Rating, valid through 2023. A++ stands for Noteworthy Rating. DBI Awards the A++ Rating to entities delivering noteworthy design efforts that showcase strong innovation, sound execution, and a clear alignment with project objectives. This rating underscores a capacity to produce meaningful creative outputs that address user needs while maintaining a high standard of quality. This certificate is awarded following a rigorous evaluation process led by an esteemed jury panel made up of journalists, academics, design professionals, and entrepreneurs worldwide. The assessment uses a blind peer-review methodology to ensure impartiality, with entries evaluated according to established guidelines and scored uniformly. Through this process, DBI highlights and honors noteworthy achievements in innovation, design quality, and creative capacity.
Use the form below to discover award-winning designers, brands, and more on the Design Business Index.
The Design Business Index (DBI) is a merit-based rating system and professional directory founded to address one of the design industry’s biggest challenges: the difficulty of reliably assessing a designer’s true capabilities before a project begins. Through its partnership with the internationally recognized A’ Design Award, DBI combines a rigorous blind review process with transparent evaluation criteria to transform subjective design quality into objective credentials. By featuring only those who have demonstrated excellence under these stringent standards, DBI ensures a carefully curated pool of top talent, where clients can make confident, data-driven decisions about creative partnerships.
Beyond its directory, DBI offers a comprehensive DBI Credibility Suite™ designed to help designers and studios stand out in an overcrowded market. Each DBI-rated professional receives authoritative certificates, digital assets, and rating logos that validate their skills and attest to their proven creative excellence. These tools seamlessly integrate into websites, social media, and marketing materials—reinforcing trust, credibility, and, ultimately, market value. Notably, DBI ratings remain valid for a two-year period, encouraging ongoing professional development and highlighting those who continuously push the boundaries of innovation.
By systematically reducing guesswork and eliminating reliance on subjective portfolio reviews alone, the Design Business Index creates a more efficient, trustworthy, and merit-based environment for both clients and designers. With DBI, top talent rises above the noise, clients gain peace of mind, and the entire global design community benefits from higher standards of creativity, innovation, and professional excellence.
Design Business Index champions design excellence, valuing official recognition from respected international juries over mere popularity. Our criteria focus on transparent, rigorous evaluations by peers, assessing quality, ethics, and innovation. Notably, the prestigious A' Design Award highlights truly exceptional projects, judged by academics, press members, and professionals using a documented scoring system. We exclusively feature professionals and studios that have earned at least one peer-reviewed award, particularly the A' Design Award, ensuring that our listings represent meritocratic accomplishment, innovation, and credibility.
Pro Entry
Digital Entry
Smart Entry
Industry Standard Entry
