On a steeply rising property within a tall beech forest, overlooking the flat agricultural lands of southern Sweden, the atelier forms a group with an old wooden house with a long history of alterations and a mature sheltered garden adorned by ceramic and brass sculptures.
The clients, a family of artists, wanted a simple retreat from the bustling activities of the main house which could adapt to the changing needs of additional working and living spaces.
Sitting high on a ridge to the North of the main house, the atelier is accessed by a granite staircase carefully adapted and carved into the terrain. The secluded position allows for large wall size openings, framing the varying scenery of treetops and endless countryside.
Clad in copper and wide horizontal larch planks the material language of the house is in part analogous to the artistic work of the family and in part to the main building.
The atelier is comprised of two interlocking volumes sitting on a slight angle to each other. Consisting of a single large room with a bathroom and kitchen concealed in a deep back wall, the subtle twist gives an unexpected spatial complexity to the whitewashed interior.
A cantilevered window acts as a small bed, allowing the granddaughter to wake up amongst the trees.
In time, as the vegetation grows closer, the atelier will become a part of the dense garden, revealing itself only from certain views.
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