The Star-Shaped Villa – Ingenious Swedish Design
Just a few hours’ drive northeast of the Swedish capital Stockholm lies a villa which immediately gets all the attention. It is a structure that is just another telling example of an ingenious Scandinavian architecture and design, blending an apparent unassuming exterior, but diverse in its unconventional lines, with modern and comfortable interiors, just as every home needs in this rough climate. The star-shaped has its each room designed as its own extension of the core, fanning out in a six-pointed star formation.
The villa was built on a headland overgrown with pine trees and blueberry bushes, and surrounded by huge, partially submerged boulders. This is why the architects sought to maximize views of the picturesque waterside setting. To achieve this, he devised every room as an individual volume, each with its own glazed gable and patio that branches out from the center of the plot towards the lake and trees.
The star-shaped villa – wood, glass and interiors that splay into nature
“We wanted to take advantage of the site’s unique conditions and make a dwelling with maximum contact with the surrounding nature and water but with respect to privacy,” Murman told Dezeen, a contemporary design website. “To reduce the scale and to allow clear definition of the functions of the building, the wings end with patio spaces that allow you to take advantage of the light and views in different directions,” he added. “Wherever you are in the house, you have access to framed views.”
The building’s timber cladding and roof are treated with iron sulphate, designed to help the wood grey as it ages, to blend in with its setting. The house-shaped wings are arranged around a gabled “spine” containing bedrooms on its upper floors and acting as a circulation space at ground level. The kitchen, dining room, gym and guest bedroom are housed in the four wings nearest the entrance, while the two closest to the water’s edge contain living space. Each point in the home receives unique sunlight throughout the day, as well, giving every room its own glow and character.
