Bringing nature indoors
Arriving at this 1960s property after a drive through dense woodlands, you realise that you can see right through the house and even get a sense of the meadow beyond – one of the many features that the new owners appreciate.
The villa in the forest was designed and built in the mid-1960s to accommodate the architect’s own family and design studio. A beautiful example of modernist architecture, where the intent is for the building and the natural surroundings to flow together to create a light and spacious home. Other distinguishing features include the graphic lines of the house, and the robustness of the materials. This whole mindset has been preserved and accentuated through the recent full-scale refurbishment of the property.
The home has been insulated without spoiling its stringent styling, while the layout of the secondary rooms has been adapted to accommodate contemporary family life. Designer Bruno Jakobsen’s expertise has revived this architectural gem and given it a new, long lease of life.
Sections, surfaces, lines
The architecture is clearly conceived as an arrangement of wall sections combined with a cantilevered roof and large glass sections, which provide gallery views inside the house as well as views of the surrounding landscape. Inside, nature also plays a role in the form of natural stone floors and Douglas fir as the recurring material used for the sliding doors, cabinets and, not least, the kitchen.
The original wooden ceilings were unsalvageable and have been replaced with Troldtekt v-line in black-painted FUTURECEM. In this panel, clay is used as a substitute for much of the cement for a reduced carbon footprint.
The Troldtekt ceilings help to ensure good acoustics in all rooms of the house and accentuate the fluidity of the rooms. The lines in the ceiling follow the north-south orientation of the property, which is particularly evident in the large combined kitchen and living room. Here, the lines help to emphasise the original idea and quality of the house.
