Villa S
Architect: Andersson & Stare
Location: Orust, Sweden
Type: Cabin
Year: 2025
Photographs: James Silverman, Andersson & Stare
The following description is courtesy of the architects. Villa S is perched on top of a mountain on the island of Orust, offering panoramic views of the fjord below. The property includes a private dock with a boat slip and boathouse, accessible via winding paths and stairways that lead down the steep mountainside. The plot is dramatically contoured and characterized by the wild Nordic landscape with raw granite outcrops, heather, and pine trees that give the site a genuine and untouched natural atmosphere.
The main challenge was to position the house at the top of the mountain while preserving the natural surroundings and adhering to strict building regulations. The solution took the form of two offset volumes, one placed higher and closer to the mountain surface, balancing the other, which bridges a greater height difference. This composition not only creates protected outdoor spaces but also generates varied spatial experiences both inside and out.
A central part of the design process was to create a house that would blend into its surroundings. The house is therefore clad entirely in a uniform wooden paneling, treated to harmonize with the surrounding rock and pine trees.
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Rainwater drainage is discreetly integrated behind the cladding, and the pure, minimalist form gives the house a modern and abstract character like a monolith emerging from the mountain. A gravel driveway winds itself up and through the house, making the house accessible by car without disrupting the landscape.
The interior layout is distributed across the two volumes, with one housing private spaces and the other serving the social functions. From the main entrance, you step directly into the social areas and are immediately met with a clear sightline through the house and out toward the fjord. The gable window in the living room frames the view of the fjord and a large sliding door opens directly onto the terrace that blends effortlessly into the mountain. The large openings bring nature closer and add serenity to the spatial experience. The private part of the home is more enclosed but features a master bedroom with the same breathtaking panoramic view of the fjord and direct access to the terrace here as well.
Project Details
- Project Name: Villa S – A Wooden Monolith in the Nordic Landscape
- Office Name: Andersson & Stare
- Office Website: anderssonstare.com
- Instagram: @anderssonstare
- Lead Architects: Oskar Stare & Julius Andersson
- Completion Year: 2023
- Gross Built Area (m2/ ft2): 195 m2
- Living Area (m2/ ft2): 125 m2
- Project Location: Orust, Sweden
- Program: Private villa
- Photographer: James Silverman & Andersson & Stare
- Website: jamessilverman.co.uk
- Instagram: @jamessilvermanphoto
