tham & videgård builds 'tent-like' vacation home on an island near stockholm

tham & videgård has built a family vacation home on a hill on the small island of krokholmen, in stockholm’s outer archipelago. the site is characterized by open views towards the sea and a beautiful landscape with windswept dwarf pines.

the architects designed the ‘krokholmen house’ which would provide generous social spaces both indoors and outdoors. a central wall holds the fireplace while a narrow opening allows space for bedrooms, bath and storage rooms facing the west. the larger family room and kitchen are positioned with panoramic views towards the sea.

a screen of wood and glass runs around the house, uniting interior and exterior spaces on a base of in-situ cast concrete. the living room and social area extends to the outdoors as large sliding doors open onto three terraces, one of which is sheltered from the winds and facing south.

the curved roof adds a new spatial quality to the interior and defines the character of the entire building. while the house is designed to be horizontal and open towards the sea, the roof balances the design through its verticality. the ‘tent-like’ silhouette connects ‘to the idea of the least complicated way to spend time in nature’, and is inspired by swedish pavilion- and gazebo architecture, ‘light buildings carefully placed in the landscape’.

the construction and finishes are made entirely of wood with the exception of a steel girder distributing loads above the main facade. curved glulam beams rest on the low gable facades and meet along a ridge roof beam. facade panels and trellis screens are made of cedar wood. roof and exterior metal details are of zinc. interior wall panels and carpentry are made of ash wood.