The location where the house with a pitched roof is located slopes towards the south and has wonderful sea views. Lyngholmen is an island in the Aust Agder archipelago, on the southern coast of Norway. The place is also on the border between the rocky landscape and the sea. The site is naturally protected from the wind by vegetation and rocks, but is open to the evening sun.
The main feature of the house is obviously the roof, which bridges the existing rocks. This not only protects the immediate outdoor space from wind, but also articulates the view of the sea from the fjord house. The roof construction also mediates the threshold between inside and outside and connects nature with the building.
Articulating and redefining the immediate landscape was considered important in this project. A new path was created from the house to the beach. The property also has a new jetty without affecting the landscape. Since the island is only accessible by boat, the main entrance to the house is on the south side to create a gentle axis to the private beach.
The lights hidden in the bollards lead down to the water in the evening. Thus, the bollard lights welcome those coming from the sea. The existing vegetation has also been carefully preserved, while the volume of the building harmonizes with the surroundings.
Sustainable concept
This project is designed so that the house with a pitched roof replaces an existing hut from the 60s. The new plan had to be developed in close connection with the floor plan of the existing building. All rooms in the new plan should fit into the 100 m² floor space.
To maximize usable floor space, all circulation between rooms was placed under a large roof. This creates two closed wings that are connected by the outdoor terrace. The main wing features an open-plan living room and kitchen with direct access to the master bedroom. The other wing contains a children's room and a guest room with a study. Each room has its own entrance from the upper wooden terrace.
The staircase articulates the existing terrain levels and creates a threshold between the two different terraces. The staircase also conveys the two material palettes, the main platform made of white concrete and the upper platform made of wood. The terrace is carefully positioned to be well protected from the wind. The roof structure extends over the terrace to form a sunshade. The additional storage space and utility rooms are hidden under the articulated platforms.
Materials for the house with a pitched roof
The roof is made of 270 mm thick reinforced concrete with 40 mm VIP insulation panels. It is supported by 100mm diameter steel columns positioned independently from the walls. The reinforcements are tightly arranged to avoid cracks. The structure itself is waterproof, so no additional roofing materials are required. This gives the roofing a smooth white surface, which creates an interesting dialogue with the rocky landscape and gives the hut its distinctive character.
The interior of the house
The choice of materials is simple yet robust. White concrete, glass and ash are carefully selected to match the natural colors of the surrounding landscape. The building gradually blends into its surroundings. The palette has been reduced to these three, and the individual materiality is enhanced and explored in the details.
Ash was used both internally and externally. On the inside, the ash is simply stained white, but for the exterior, the wood had to be hardened in a thermal process.
The window and door frames are all made using bespoke joinery and carefully assembled in a local workshop. The concrete is also used inside and outside as a building material for the house with a pitched roof. The fireplace and long bench are finished in the same white concrete as the roof, terrace and stairs.
