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Architects: Saunders Architecture
- Area: 304 m²
- Year: 2018
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Photographs:Bent René Synnevåg
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Manufacturers: Louis Poulsen
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Lead Architects: Todd Saunders, Pedro Léger Pereira, Matt McClurg, Maxime Rousse, Attila Béres
Text description provided by the architects. There is a thoughtful degree of flexibility woven into the design of Todd Saunders’ houses. Importantly, his buildings allow for the possibility of change and adaptation as the needs of his clients gradually shift and alter over time. The concept of ‘future proofing’ is particularly important for clients building a family home for the long term. Like many of the families that commission Saunders, the owners of Villa Grimseiddalen, near Bergen, came to him with a commission for a dream home that would fulfill all of their ambitions for the present but also carry them into the future.
The scale of the villa was an important consideration from the start. The family made a conscious decision to downsize, moving from a larger house to a smaller but fully bespoke building. The setting of Villa Grimseiddalen played a key part in this process, with the family buying a sublime site to the south of Bergen that balances easy access to the city with semi-rural surroundings and an engaging waterside setting.
The villa sits upon the gentle brow of a hill, overlooking the fjord, with a separate boat house and a pontoon down at the water’s edge. The house has a sculptural and expressive quality, with a mono-pitch roof, grey timber cladding, and a bank of glass looking over the open vista. A key element within the design process was the decision to place all of the main living spaces at ground level along with the master suite while creating a modest upper story holding the two children’s bedrooms and a media room. On the ground floor, the plan evolved through careful consideration of practicality and functionality.
Given the Norwegian weather, with its regular rainfall, Saunders decided to create a vast porch over the main entrance area to the rear of the villa that would help shelter family and friends whatever the conditions. The clients wanted to garage for two cars and storage space, so Saunders wove these elements into the design in conjunction with the porch and integrated them into the overall shape and composition of the house. Such elements helped to influence the dynamic form of the building, as the design process stepped from inside to outside and back again.
Beyond the porch, the entrance hall forms part of a neat line of service spaces running along the more enclosed rear elevation of the house, with the stairway to the upper level and the laundry room also sitting within this axis. The rest of the ground floor is essentially devoted to an open-plan living area, as well as the enclosed master suite at the opposite end of the villa. Holding the kitchen, dining zone, and sitting area, the great room is partially double height, while connecting with the glass façade facing the water.
Saunders’ clients were particularly pleased with the joinery and the level of detailing and craftsmanship achieved by carpenters Nilsen & Andersen both inside and outside. The use of different woods and timber finishes, including Dinesen white spruce for the floors, white painted spruce boards for the ceilings, and pine for the cladding, creates a sense of cohesion but also offers subtle textural contrasts; the use of wood also improves the acoustics of the houses and reduces any sound reverberation. Yet, for the family, perhaps the greatest pleasure comes from the way that the house connects so vividly with its surroundings.
