R21 Arkitekter organizes the program in an "L" shape. The concave face of the villa forms an access atrium for the utility spaces, which are discreetly aligned against the neighboring building. It places the pool and ping-pong table on the topography of the plot, and the sleeping areas on the upper floor. It orients the living areas and bedrooms toward the views to capture the evening light.
The house consists of a modular structure with wooden elements on a concrete plinth. It has a galvanized zinc facade and an interior clad in stained oak. The combination of materials lends certain abstract characteristics to a villa located in a privileged landscape.
Villa Bruksveien by R21 Arkitekter. Photograph by Mariela Apollonio.
Project description by R21 Arkitekter
The project addresses a program for a primary residence with a swimming pool and tennis court on the Snarøya Peninsula, in a maritime setting near the city of Oslo.
The site is an elongated plot, extending from the adjacent parcel, with very defined zoning regulations. First, due to local regulations, the demolished pre-existing house is taken as the reference distance from the new house to the coast. Second, because of rising sea levels and strong winds, it was decided to elevate the house above sea level.
The program is organized in an "L" shape, parallel to the northeastern side of the plot, orienting the living areas and bedrooms toward the views and capturing the evening sunlight. This configuration accommodates the swimming pool and tennis court on different levels of the terrain. The concave side of the volume, facing the pool, creates an entrance atrium, while the service areas are discreetly aligned along the neighboring boundary. The upper floor contains the private sleeping areas.
The structure of the house is timber-framed, with a concrete plinth, a zinc-clad façade, and an interior finished in stained oak. Care was taken to ensure the transition between these materials is as abstract and non-hierarchical as possible.
The design works with the concept of the module (structurally 3.60 x 3.60 meters and 1.20 meters in facade width) to resolve the program and imbue the house with abstract qualities, taking advantage of its location in a privileged landscape.
