Villa Kristina / Wingardhs

Villa Kristina  / Wingardhs - Exterior Photography, Windows, Stairs, Facade
© James Silverman

Villa Kristina  / Wingardhs - Image 2 of 23Villa Kristina  / Wingardhs - Exterior Photography, Windows, Stairs, FacadeVilla Kristina  / Wingardhs - Image 4 of 23Villa Kristina  / Wingardhs - Image 5 of 23Villa Kristina  / Wingardhs - More Images+ 18

Gothenburg, Sweden
  • Architect: Wingårdh Arkitektkontor, Gert and Karin Wingårdh
  • City: Gothenburg
  • Country: Sweden
More SpecsLess Specs
Villa Kristina  / Wingardhs - Image 15 of 23
Site Plan
Villa Kristina  / Wingardhs - Image 16 of 23
Plan 0

Text description provided by the architects. A small house that wants to be big. A small footprint and simple construction means low cost. That’s the idea when we set about designing a house for a young couple on a site surrounded by other single-family homes on the west side of Gothenburg. 

Villa Kristina  / Wingardhs - Image 2 of 23
© James Silverman

We turn inward with an atrium scheme, away from the view of—and from—the neighbors. The nicest view is toward the mature trees and the exposed bedrock in the southwest, so we open the courtyard up on that side.

Villa Kristina  / Wingardhs - Exterior Photography, Windows, Stairs, Facade
© James Silverman

The building is perched lightly on piers, hovering a half-meter over granite bedrock honed by the ice age. That means that to reach the building we need a stair and a ramp (accessibility requirement) along the blank northeast side. The elevated floor of the atrium courtyard is built up of decking over beams, with steps down to the surrounding terrain.

Villa Kristina  / Wingardhs - Interior Photography, Living Room
© James Silverman

On the inside, it’s the outside that dominates. The narrow kitchen with its long table is always a part of the changing seasons that play out in the courtyard. Floor-to-ceiling glass and broad sliding doors help erase the boundary between inside and out. Okay, it’s a cliché—but it works. 

Villa Kristina  / Wingardhs - Interior Photography, Table, Windows, Chair
© James Silverman
Villa Kristina  / Wingardhs - Image 22 of 23
Section

There’s a steep ladderway up to the workroom (yes, there’s a glimpse of the sea from up there) and a shallow, almost monumentally processional stair up to a roof terrace. Additional rooms could be built around the courtyard if needed in the future to accommodate a bunch of children. 

Villa Kristina  / Wingardhs - Interior Photography, Stairs
© James Silverman

The entrance wall is thickened to hold a fireplace (the chimney is part of the roof landscape) with a built-in sofa, a room for collections, the kitchen (back-to-back with the exterior mechanical room), and an air-lock entry with guest bathroom.

Villa Kristina  / Wingardhs - Image 23 of 23
Diagram
Villa Kristina  / Wingardhs - Image 5 of 23
© James Silverman

The exterior is clad entirely in whitewashed (Sioo treated) smooth-planed spruce. It will age to a pale gray.

Villa Kristina  / Wingardhs - Interior Photography, Table, Chair
© James Silverman

Project gallery

See allShow less
About this office
Cite: "Villa Kristina / Wingardhs" 08 Jun 2016. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/788785/villa-kristina-wingardhs> ISSN 0719-8884

You've started following your first account!

Did you know?

You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.