Villa J

Designed for a family of five, Villa J is a generously sized residence located near Kämpinge, a former fishing village east of the town of Höllviken in southernmost Sweden. While the house itself is close to the water, the corner site is adjacent to roads in the southeast and -west. Local planning regulations imposed certain limitations; only a third of the building’s upper storey could be built to its full height.

An atrium, secluded by walls and a pool house, unites the interior and exterior spaces. On the ground floor are the master bedroom and several ample social spaces, as well as a winter garden, kitchen, sauna, etc. The upper floor is the children’s realm, comprising a living room, bedrooms and a sizable family bath.

The floor plan is an attempt to merge different room types without the bulk of unnecessary walls and doors, with spaces opening onto each other in clear sequence and often with subtle shifts. Villa J can provide room for socialising or seclusion – even simultaneously. The main axes of the plot, the house and the garden work in symphony to create multiple unorthodox angles. The composition draws on an aesthetic somewhere between collage and a more austere expression.

The load-bearing structure is constructed of wood and steel with a concrete intermediary floor slab. The façades are clad with Danish brick, light grey render, stained pine and black aluminium. The windows are manufactured by Schüco, and the doors are custom-made by Snickerbolaget.

Johan Sundberg Arkitektur had overall responsibility in all design, planning and construction stages.

Site: Kämpinge, outside of Malmö, Sweden

Construction: 2012-2013

Chief Architect: Johan Sundberg

Associate Architects: Maria Mauléon Lundberg, Andreas Amasalidis, Staffan Rosvall, Marcus Andäng

Structural Engineer: Anders Sandgren, Ramböll

Building Contractor: SAWI Byggnads AB, Bengt Hansson

Interior woodwork: Snickeribolaget, Magnus Hägg

Photography: Markus Linderoth (www.dancingcameras.com)