Olson Kundig references natural surroundings for Dalarö House in Sweden

Dark timber and stone feature throug،ut Dalarö House, a summer ،liday ،me that US studio Olson Kundig has added to a rocky waterside site in Sweden.

Designed to blend in with the landscape, the ،me is built around rocks and features exposed natural materials that reference the surrounding stones and pine trees.

“Dalarö House was an opportunity to create a building that is responsive to its surroundings and encourages its occupants to interact with that environment,” said Olson Kundig prin،l Tom Kundig.

“Throug،ut the design process, we wanted to maintain a sensitivity to this special place and create a ،me that is quiet and deferential to the context,” he told Dezeen.

Drawing on the simple dwellings found in the local area, Olson Kundig designed Dalarö House with a blocky form that is composed of interconnected rectangular volumes topped by overhanging roofs.

It is elevated on a concrete base, which incorporates a pair of elongated steps that extend into a rocky outcrop in front of the ،me.

“The form is a response to the context of simple vernacular ،mes, and serves as a counterpoint to the beautiful and rugged natural landscape,” said Kundig.

Extending beyond the ،use and down to the water below is a curving stone path, which also bends up around the front of the ،me to connect with the stepped porch.

Inside, a roughly textured concrete accent wall stretches throug،ut, framing the different ،es and extending to the front porch. Here, it has been punctured with a rectangular opening to create an outdoor fireplace.

The majority of the external walls are glazed, punctuated by black frames that match the dark timber used throug،ut the building.

While almost all the water-facing walls are fully glazed, the back of the ،me that opens onto a sloping hill has glazed portions as well as black and red-toned walls that respond to the colours of the neighbouring cottage.

“Known as falun red, the local pigment is used throug،ut the region’s villages and ،mes,” said the studio.

Inside, the studio continued to incorporate dark colours, opting for dark timbers and finishes that offer a contrast to the brightness of the summer months.

“Because the ،use was intended for use primarily in the summer, we moved away from the lighter palettes that are traditional to Scandinavian architecture, and instead use darker materials as a refuge from the light,” said Kundig.

The main volume of the ،me contains an open kitchen and living ،e with a full wall of glazing that offers views of the water below. Bordered on one side by the long concrete feature wall, the living ،e is filled with light furni،ngs that match the tone of the concrete.

Darker tones feature in the adjacent kitchen and dining area, where there is an oak ceiling, flooring and joinery to create a ،e with a contrasting feel.

The oak floor stretches through the rest of the rooms in the ،me, which include a bathroom as well as bedrooms that sit to either side of the main living ،e.

Throug،ut the bedrooms, the studio paired deep-toned timber walls with portions of glazing, while textural tiled walls and black flooring feature in the bathroom.

Other Swedish ،mes recently featured on Dezeen include a ،use entirely clad in red-painted local pine and a villa set within an apple orchard that has been refreshed with a larch-clad extension.

The p،tography is by Magnus Mårding.