Nestled among stone cliffs and pine trees is this understated, low-budget vacation home, which succeeds in seamlessly blending in with its surroundings. The private family retreat, nicknamed “Viggsö,” was designed by Arrhov Frick Arkitektkontor. They lucked out with the location, on one of the secluded islands in the Stockholm archipelago, a cluster of some 30,000 islands that begins just a few minutes away from Stockholm.
The design goal, noted by Designboom, was to “celebrate this landscape by bringing nature into the interior.” The construction process relied heavily on simple wood construction techniques that wouldn’t destroy the surrounding rockface. The foundation is made up of a series of posts which elevate the home, making sure it doesn’t even touch the ground. Timber planking was used to build out a porch, which extends the structure into its natural surroundings.
The architects separated the building, which totals to about 860 square feet, into three equal parts. One part is comprised of the bathroom, bedroom, and kitchen, while the second level holds a loft for children or guests. (It’s designed to fit a family of four.) Finally, there’s a double-height living room with huge windows providing views in three different directions. Such massive windows ensure the balance between the interior and exterior of the house.
It wouldn’t be a vacation home without some outdoor space; a terrace with a semi-transparent roof made of polycarbonate faces the waterfront.