Grey brick chimneys contrast the interlocking white-rendered blocks of Hallen, a home in southern Sweden completed by local studio Ã…sa Hjort Architects.
Designed for the studio's founder, Ã…sa Hjort, the dwelling is located on the outskirts of Kivik, where it is surrounded by woodland and enjoys views out across the Baltic Sea.
Ã…sa Hjort Architects completes blocky home on Sweden's southern coast
The studio had originally intended to restore a 1920s home already on the site, but when this proved unsuitable it developed an entirely new design, which was required by planning to match the volume of the previous structure.
Hallen was conceived as a home that would embrace the surrounding landscape, playing with the contrast of light and dark in reference to its dual condition between dense woodland and the open coast to create a "tranquil" retreat. The studio aimed to embrace the landscape by playing with the contrast of light and dark
?After living many years in the original house, I had a clear idea of how I wanted the house to work and how we wanted our life to be there," Hjort told Dezeen.
"I wanted to create a tranquil atmosphere that made us slow down, as opposed to the fast-paced lifestyle we live day to day in a big city."
"The closeness to nature was very important and the minimal palette of materials allow the surrounding landscape to take a prominent role," she added.
Ground floor glazing frames views to the woodlands next to grey...