Hermansson Hiller Lundberg Arkitekter

Description

The new single-family home is located in a heterogeneous villa suburb of Stockholm. The area is characterised by dramatic exposed granite cliffs and mature trees. The plot was the last unbuilt site and had an unusual shape and a dramatic height difference. The conditions of the topography combined with the local building regulations created a difficult envelope and led to an unusual layout. The dwelling is spread over three floors, two of which are souterrains. The main floor containing kitchen, dining and living space is directly accessed from the road. Below this, all the bedrooms are located in the first souterrain floor, and below them is the garage, which is reached by a car elevator, and a home office space. A central stair connects all levels and leads to the roof terrace. The house was constructed with precast concrete panels to facilitate construction on the narrow and steep site, and the façades were clad with dark wood. Most of the façades are quite closed due to the proximity of the neighbours and the access road, with the house opening up on the side facing the water. The challenge of the project was not so much about meeting the practical requirements but more about achieving a calm and harmonious character. The goal was not to let the difficulties show but instead to present the new neighbour as easy-going and well dressed, something the Italians call sprezzatura.