The architects of R21 arkitekter aim for buildings to appear purposefully, abstracting from form to solve certain complex problems in a simple way. The use of large edge beams in the horizontal plane and load-bearing partitions in the vertical plane allows the corners to be freed up to integrate the windows and balconies.
This differentiation between the vertical and horizontal elements is transferred to the façade directly through the use of different patterns in the wood of the cladding for each direction, which provides a certain symmetry in the composition. In addition, a corten steel-clad base is included, which houses the basement and acts as a settlement for the buildings.
Furulund Housing by R21 arkitekter. Photograph by Mariela Apollonio.
Description of project by R21 arkitekter
The plot is located in Vækerø, in the metropolitan area of Oslo, in an area with slight sea views. The project is made up of two buildings, which house a total of six homes, sharing common areas.
There is a conscious search for integration with the environment through the implementation of volumes. A considerable existing green mass is the unifying element of the project, accommodating and locating the bodies, giving order to the whole, and reinforcing the relationship between them, with the purpose of not destroying the character of the place.
During the process, a disagreement occurred between the proposed idea and the built reality, which forced a solution contrary to the initial facade approaches, which is why the project responds with such resoundingness.
Furulund Housing by R21 arkitekter. Photograph by Mariela Apollonio.
Located on a somewhat steep terrain, the buildings have the will to show themselves with determination, exalting the abstraction of the form and allowing in their design simple solutions for problems that seem complex. We work on synthesis with the purpose of differentiating between what is open and what is closed. Through the use of large horizontal edge beams and vertical load-bearing partitions, the corners are freed, allowing the integration of windows and balconies. The vertical elements are differentiated from the horizontal ones through the use of different patterns in their wood covering, visually ordering the composition through horizontal and vertical symmetry. A solid base covered in Corten steel contains the basement and serves as a platform for settling the volumes.
