claesson koivisto rune's simonsson house evokes the vernacular of near-arctic sweden

architecture shaped by its context

Swedish partnership Claesson Koivisto Rune Architects takes to the near-Arctic town of Boden, Sweden to realize this so-called Simonsson House. In many ways the dwelling is shaped by its site, as strict zoning regulations largely informed the team’s design decisions. ‘The local regulations stipulated a house with a maximum building height of just 4.2 metres (13.75 feet),’ The architects tell designboom. ‘It also stipulated that the house must have a red roof.’

images © Åke E:son Lindman | @akeeson

the simonsson house: low yet lofty

Claesson Koivisto Rune Architects sites its Simonsson House alongside the Lule älv, a major river which runs through the north of Sweden. Despite the strict height limitations — most suitable for a single-level home — the design team hoped to include a second story to capture views across the river. This was ultimately achieved through the use of a single pitch roof construction. The team explains: ‘Since the building height for a single pitch roof is a calculated mean value around the house, the resulting building height could be kept within the regulations.’

the bold design by claesson koivisto rune

Overall, the Simonsson House by Claesson Koivisto Rune Architects takes shape as a nested pair of trapezoidal volumes, facing opposite directions. The living space occupies the larger of the two volumes and opens out toward views of the river through a scattered array of picture windows. The smaller volume hosts a garage and sauna, and is topped with a roof terrace. Finally, the house is finished entirely with red paint, at once emphasizing its bold geometries while fulfilling local requirements for a red roof.

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ground floor plan

first floor plan

project info:

project title: Simonsson House

architecture: Claesson Koivisto Rune Architects | @claessonkoivistorune

location: Boden, Sweden

built area: 220 square meters

photography: © Åke E:son Lindman | @akeeson