'Drevviken House' by Claesson Koivisto Rune Architects, photo by Louise Billgert
The Swedish architects and designers Claesson Koivisto Rune recently completed their newest architectural project, a single family home, situated on a beautiful lake near Stockholm. The ostensibly simple construction is characterised by – according to the sloped lot – slightly curved foundation and roof lines.
'Latte by Tomoyuki Matsuoka for Bla Station
The Japanese designer Tomoyuki Matsuoka designed this family of simple and graphical chairs for the Swedish manufacturer Blå Station. ‘Latte’ consists of a lacquered tubular steel frame and a seating made from laser-cut sheet metal. Anyway it is also availabe with an upholstered seat pad and therefore suitable for indoor and outdoor use.
Known for their colourful collection Blå Station also developed a beautiful colour scheme for ‘Latte’.
'Lens' by Jens Fager for ZERO
Back to roots: After times of formal experimentation and technical and aesthetic hig-end appearances it seems like the archtypical design found its way back to modern living rooms – original forms which refer to times, when things were above all appreciated for their usability. Some of the new creations by the Swedish lighting manufacturer ZERO took up this trend. Jens Fager’s series of lamps ‘Lens’ consists of two pendant lights and a table lamp. The lamp shades are made from painted aluminum and matt acrylic. The table lamp can be mounted on the adjustable table base or fixed through the table top.
'One+' by Add-A-Room
Lars Frank Nielsen architect and founder of the Danish practice ONEN Design has designed this modular architectural system for the Swedish company Add-A-Room. The houses can be ordered in different modules with specific functions and be composed according to the user’s requirements. They are prefabricated in Sweden in collaboration with mainly Scandinavian companies and with the use of local materials.
'Yes' by Victor Alm for Karl Andersson
‘Yes’ is one of the newest pieces produced by the Swedish manufacturer Karl Andersson & Söner. The elegant multi prpose chair is characterised by its subtly formed plywood backrest – its ergonomic shape seems to be the result of a folding rather than of a defined mould. ‘Yes’ was designed by Victor Alm, Swedish designer and co-founder of the Swedish manufacturing company Brikolör.
Townhouse by Elding Oscarson, photo by Åke E:son Lindman
Elding Oscarson is a Stockholm based architectural practice recently founded by the former SANAA associate Jonas Elding and Johan Oscarson who worked at Sandellsandberg in Stockholm for seven years. One of their first projects was this single family townhouse in Landskrona, a small city in the south of Sweden.
'Croquet' by WIS Design
The young Swedish practice WIS Design created this new series of seating furniture consisting of a bench, a stool and a barstool. All pieces are based on the same components: wooden sticks of different length and connecting knots made from painted metal-tubes. ‘Croquet’ is easy to assemble without any additional tools.
Summerhouse Skåne, photo by Laura Stamer
Skåne is the beautiful countryside in the south of Sweden vis-á-vis Copenhagen. This is where the Danish architectural practice realised this conversion of an abandoned farmhouse. Jonas Labbé and Johannes Schotanus, who set up their studio in 2007, created an interior design which plays on the notion of nostalgia and shelter by combining them with very contemporary desires for space, light and nature.
Summerhouse Skåne, photo by Laura Stamer
“Houses in the area are traditionally robust and nest-like for protection in the blustery, open landscape. But while the clients were attached to the traditional style, they also wanted to enjoy the nature indoors.
The challenge of the conversion was to re-invent the elements that gave the house a sense of belonging. While elements like original windows and floors were kept, two thirds of the interior walls were torn down. The space was further opened up by inserting large window openings with hidden frames that dissolve in the existing fabric. Accordingly the fine detailing of the old windows is rather accentuated than opposed.”
Summerhouse Skåne, photo by Laura Stamer
“This strategy of reducing the elements is present in all interventions. Materials are limited to concrete, pine wood and smooth white plaster. The pale and bleached palette connects to the scenery outside and is finished off by an infusion of bright coloured surfaces, relating to conceptions of context and memory. The colours are reminiscent of the clients’ many years in China, but also of summer days spent on the nearby beach with its bright towels and kites. The colours are never boldly presented, but appear and disappear as one transitions from one space to the other.”
Summerhouse Skåne, photo by Laura Stamer
“The precise placement of the stair, windows and floors emphasize the meetings of contrasting surfaces. The result is a contemporary simulation of the narrative that old houses often seem to possess. The two-sided stove is placed in the heart of the house, elevated slightly to bring the fire closer to eye-level. The placement of the stove marks the meeting of the new concrete floor with the old wooden floor. This meeting ends precisely at the edge of a large cut-out window.”
Summerhouse Skåne, photo by Laura Stamer
“Having a restrained budget to work with, the key design strategy was to opt for an ‘immaterial luxury’. Using only inexpensive materials opened up for adding elements made on site, like a heated concrete bathroom bench, a wooden shower niche or a custom made steel bench. The result is an unpretentious summerhouse that brings the focus of luxury back to being about experience and simplicity: the direct relation to nature, splashes of bright colours or the sound of water falling on wood.”
Summerhouse Skåne, photo by Laura Stamer
'Ostrea' by Annika Göransson
Studying at Danish Design School in Copenhagen the Swedish designer Annika Göransson created this sculptural sofa made from styrofoam and covered with hand-stitched wool. The flexible parts of the back and armrest are marked by an orange stitched edge. ‘Ostrea’ was Annika Göransson’s submission for an upholstery competition organised by the Upholstery Guild in Copenhagen – she won the first prize!
'Ostrea' by Annika Göransson
'Ostrea' by Annika Göransson
'Ostrea' by Annika Göransson
'Ostrea' by Annika Göransson
Rubiks Kök, 2007 (Rubik's Kitchen) by Michael Johansson
Michael Johansson obviously likes things. The Swedish artist finds the ‘material’ for his overloaded installations – randomly selected objects – at flea markets. In terms of the way he uses them, it seems he doesn’t expect them to function or to be useful; the main requirement is they match the arrangement. He meticulously stacks and interlaces them to create highly composed, compact volumes and narrative assemblages.
Some of Michael Johansson’s works are currently showcased within the group exhibition ‘Meaning of Void’ at Galleri Christoffer Egelund in Copenhagen (May 21 – June 19, 2010).
Ghost II, 2009 by Michael Johansson
Strövtåg i tid och rum, 2009 (Strolls through time and space) by Michael Johansson
Cake Lift, 2009 by Michael Johansson
Green Piece, 2009 by Michael Johansson
Monochrome Anachron, 2008 by Michael Johansson
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