House of Many Courtyards

April 26, 2021

Claesson Koivisto Rune Architects designed a private residence hidden just on the tree-line, behind a sandy ocean beach in Sweden.


The topography of the plot is characterised by soft undulation as it is formed by sand dunes conquered by vegetation. One of the requirement of the project in the brief was for maximum privacy while maintaining contact with the beach and the horizon. Or, in other words, great views from inside but little visibility from outside. And the house itself should blend in with its setting as best as possible.
The solution came with an imaginary slicing up of an elongated box and dislocating of the parts in alternating, parallel order. Thus, ending up with a number of outwardly open courtyard terraces – one in each gap. In principle, like the camshaft in a multiple-piston engine. In the façade, each protruding box is a closed wall while full glazing is used inside the courtyards – sometimes at their deep end, sometimes sideways facing. Besides framing each view, the outlooks become very private.




The house has the appearance of a series of individual boxes that in reality is one interior connected via a 40-metre-long, end-to-end, central communication axis – functioning like a corridor, but in each space a part of the room. The internally glazed courtyards are perceived as a continuation of each indoor space, doubling the experienced space. Weather permitting, they can be opened up to a very large extent to actually become continuations of the rooms.
Each box was given a unique ceiling height in accordance with the function and proportion of the room, like a strand of beads of various sizes. This makes moving through the house an ever-changing spatial experience.



The materials are Petersen Kolumba brick walls, hardwood ceilings and limestone floors and terraces. The same long and flat proportion of the bricks was used in the floor-laying pattern as well as in the ceilings. The colour of the handmade bricks was matched with the local colour of the sand of the beach. The house is not camouflaged but both colour and geometry form an abstraction very true to the surrounding nature and topography.



Architecture  Claesson Koivisto Rune Architects  www.claessonkoivistorune.se  @claessonkoivistorune

SHARE THIS

 Contribute

G&G _ Magazine is always looking for the creative talents of stylists, designers, photographers and writers from around the globe.

WRITE US

 Find us on

Latest News

G&G _ Magazine explored the answers through conversations with the people who make, shape and rethin
By Zhanna Lysohorova • October 26, 2026
Before launching the next collection, presenting the next innovation or filling another empty space, Tallinn Design Festival invited us to ask a more uncomfortable question. G&G _ Magazine explored the answers through conversations with the people who make, shape and rethink design.
By G&G _ Magazine • October 20, 2026
The 21st edition of Tallinn Design Festival , held from 28 September to 4 October 2026, offered a rich illustration of a design scene that extends far beyond the object, and beyond the walls of a single venue. Under the theme Future of Product Design , the festival explored how sustainability, adaptability, technological change and material awareness can inform the next generation of products and services.
Maison Margiela Expands Design and Architectural Vision with Launch of its Residences, Dubai
By G&G _ Magazine • October 12, 2026
Maison Margiela Expands Design and Architectural Vision with Launch of Maison Margiela Residences in Dubai
Zuchex 2026: from Turkish Craft to Global Design
By Zhanna Lysohorova • October 10, 2026
Zuchex 2026: from Turkish Craft to Global Design
By G&G _ Magazine • September 2, 2026
Located in the heart of Las Salesas, one of Madrid’s most sophisticated and creative districts, Only YOU Boutique Hotel Madrid embodies a refined vision of contemporary urban luxury.
By G&G _ Magazine • August 26, 2026
In the heart of Sofia, Juno Hotel blends contemporary design and natural materials into an intimate retreat where refined interiors meet a distinctly residential sense of comfort.
MORE

 Subscribe

Keep up to date with the latest trends!

Receive a dose of inspiration directly into your mailbox!

 Popular Posts

By G&G _ Magazine • September 11, 2026
SISHICRAFT Studio transforms vegetable-tanned leather into delicate handcrafted objects inspired by the botanical world. G&G _ Magazine explores the creative vision behind the brand with Natalie, from transforming botanical inspiration into handcrafted objects to experimenting with material, form and the subtle imperfections that make every piece unique.
By G&G _ Magazine • February 24, 2026
From 5 February to mid-March 2026, across three emblematic locations in Madrid — Institución Libre de Enseñanza, Plaza de Colón and FORMA — LOEWE Perfumes presents Crafted Garden , an immersive installation conceived for Madrid Design Festival 2026 . The project unfolds as a sensory journey inspired by Renaissance gardens, bringing together nature, fragrance and contemporary craftsmanship in a multi-layered exploration of design and olfactory culture.
By G&G _ Magazine • January 21, 2020
Located in Freycinet National Park, Tasmania, the Freycinet Lodge has been in operation since the 1990’s. Having acquired the property recently, RACT Destinations was keen to upgrade. RACT sought tourism advice from Brett Torrossi, to help steer the sensitive project. Liminal was then commissioned to transform the visitor experience through the conceptualisation, design and delivery of nine pavilions tailored to celebrate the scenic qualities of the unique setting. The Pavilions provide a point of difference to the existing 60 cabins, offering a quality, contemporary, eco-sensitive, site specific experience. Liminal drew inspiration for the new Coastal Pavilions from the fluid topography of the nearby bays and layered coastal granite rock formations, while paying homage to the character of the National Park they nestle into.