A Seaside House, located in Höllviken on the southern coast of Sweden, demonstrates how brick and wood can create a dialogue between architectural permanence and the characteristics of coastal environments. This project, developed by the firm Koistinen Hellborg Architects, investigates how the choice of materials, lighting, and spatial arrangement can configure a home in harmony with its natural surroundings.
Situated on a sandy plot, surrounded by heather, moss, and pine trees, and very close to the sea, the house was conceived to converse with a landscape marked by subtle chromatic variations, seasonal changes, and a strong connection to the outdoors. The clients desired a modern yet timeless residence, capable of accommodating a broad domestic program without sacrificing privacy or the sense of spaciousness.
The team at Koistinen Hellborg Architects developed a composition of interconnected volumes that distinguishes social from private areas, ensuring the preservation of existing trees and most of the natural terrain. The use of Randers Tegl's Ultima brick is fundamental to defining the architectural identity, uniting the various volumes through a material language based on the surrounding landscape.
Coastal architecture defined by brick and wood
The peculiarities of the terrain influenced both the positioning and configuration of the residence. Höllviken is part of a coastal area historically linked to summer houses, dunes, and sandy beaches, although many of these properties have evolved into permanent residences. The lot is situated in a transition area between a residential neighborhood and a natural environment, presenting south and west orientations that facilitate the capture of sunlight and contemplation of the sea.
The project also had to comply with local urban regulations, which initially favored single-story houses but allowed a second floor under certain conditions. To meet the request for two floors, the architectural team set back the upper floor and added large south-westerly facing balconies, maintaining a balance with the scale of the surroundings. The new volumes were mostly placed on the projection of the old summer house dating from the 1940s, helping to conserve mature trees and the sandy soil covered with low vegetation. Furthermore, several concrete anti-tank obstacles belonging to the Swedish coastal defense system during World War II were left in place, adding historical layers to the site.
The combination of brick and vertically arranged wood cladding became a striking architectural strategy. Instead of treating the facade as a homogeneous covering, the designers used these materials to articulate the different volumes, creating a balance between solid surfaces and more permeable openings. The brick walls convey a sense of solidity, especially on the north facades and between distinct volumes, while the wood introduces a contrasting texture that echoes the verticality of neighboring pine trunks.
The Ultima brick, characterized by its elongated proportions and waterstruck rough textured surface, proved ideal for the project's language. With about twice the length of a standard brick and only 38 millimeters high, its shape accentuates horizontal lines, reinforcing the building's elongated character. Its textured finish and earthy tones recall the variable colors of the coastal soil, ranging from dry sand to darker, humid surfaces. In the RT 151 version, an intentionally darkened finish intensifies the chromatic variation between pieces, generating a subtle play of light and dark tones on the walls.
The selection of materials extends to the interior. The initial concept envisioned the use of brick, solid wood, and glass as components organized within a structural modulation, with exposed glued laminated timber (Glulam) pillars and beams contributing to the architectural expression. Although the house was built with a hidden structure and conventional walls, the brick maintained its role as a link between the interior and exterior. The intention to extend the brick walls into internal spaces, including around the living room fireplace, strengthens the continuity of the material language and lends a tactile quality to the environments.
Shaping light, space, and daily life
Beyond aesthetics, the material strategy supports the broader exploration of the project regarding spatial experience. The placement of openings was meticulously planned to capture daylight from various angles and establish visual connections with the surrounding vegetation. Large protruding eaves provide shade during the summer, while strategically located balconies and windows frame the landscape, reaching the sea and the sunset at certain points.
Internally, the spatial organization encourages movement and visual fluidity between floors. The kitchen, dining room, and living room are integrated into an open plan, where the ceiling height in the living area reaches almost six meters. Multiple visual perspectives extend to the upper floor and outdoors, satisfying the clients' desire for an interior space that feels open yet maintains a sense of refuge. On the upper floor, a corner space, originally intended as a studio, takes advantage of partial views of the sea and sky at dusk.
In these environments, the brick imparts a visual weight that counterbalances the openness provided by the glass panels and the vertical wood cladding. Its elongated shape establishes a discreet rhythm on the surfaces, and its irregular texture interacts with the changes in natural light throughout the day. The result is an architecture where materiality is felt not only through colors and textures but also by the way surfaces delimit, frame views, and shape the atmosphere of domestic life.
The Seaside House manages to reconcile two seemingly opposite conditions: a social gathering space and an intimate sanctuary for daily life. Its architectural expression draws from the sensory qualities of the landscape: the sea breeze, the smell of the pines, the soft tones of moss and heather, and the mutable light filtered through the branches. Through the union of wood with Randers Tegl's Ultima brick, these elements become part of the built environment, allowing the residence to establish a lasting bond with its coastal setting. Architecture emerges from the meeting of matter, light, and place, translating the atmosphere of the Swedish coast into a home conceived to endure over time.
