The most beautiful house on the island
There’s an almost unobstructed view from the edge of the pine forest at the top of the hill.
Husarö is a popular island among summer inhabitants, situated northeast of Stockholm. The island has also given its name to a house that can be found at the edge of a pine forest. Husarö House is a modern summer villa that has been designed by Swedish architecture office Tham & Videgård. The house was built on top of a hill and the sea can be seen through the windows.
”The direction of the light, the sea view, and the smooth cliffs were the foundation for our design. We also had a relatively small budget, so it was sensible to build the house to follow the even bedrock,” architect Martin Videgård explains.
The black sheet metal upholstering has been set according to the width of the windows. All big windows slide open, so there is easy access outside.
Downstairs is outlined by a cube-like structure with the kitchen, bathroom, storage space, and stairs. The indoor areas are mainly light birch plywood. The dining table and chairs are classics by Artek.
The summer place already had a small cottage that belongs to the family and an old boat shed, but the younger generation wanted to build a more spacious, modern summer villa. The house has two floors: kitchen, open living spaces, and a bathroom can be found downstairs. The second floor has two big bedrooms and space for children to play in. The living space is 180 square meters. The big windows downstairs slide open, and the upper floor is lit by a skylight.
”The direction of the light, the sea view, and the smooth cliffs were the foundation for our design.”
The downstairs living space has vault-like plywood sheets on the ceiling.
The outside of the house has been fully upholstered with black sheet metal. The structures are made entirely out of wood, and the inner surfaces have a lot of plywood and edgier OSB plate.
”The biggest challenges with the project were finding skilled builders and transporting the construction material to a rather remote island. In addition, the wooden construction of the house did create some challenges,” Videgård says. The inhabitants and the architect are satisfied with the finished house. ”What I most like about it is how well Husarö House fits into the outstanding nature surrounding it.”
”What I most like about it is how well Husarö House fits into the outstanding nature surrounding it.”
The upstairs’ bedrooms are lit by the skylight at the ridge of the roof.
Architects Tham & Videgård
• Founders Bolle Tham and Martin Videgård (left)
• Founded in 1999 in Stockholm
• Clients both in Sweden and abroad
• Known for: Moderna Museet Malmö, Archipelago House, Kalmar konstmuseum, the mirrored Mirrorcube tree house in Harads, Sweden
Text: Mikko Vaija Photos: Åke E:son Lindman
Published on 29 Sep, 2017
