Breezy prefab summer house built on a Swedish island

There are country homes, and then there are archipelago homes. Nordic architects are masters at building structurally simple but visually striking homes that take advantage of their remote seaside locations.

The Zartmann House does this to stunning effect. The breezy summer home from Anders Berensson Architects perches atop rocks on the Swedish island of Skarprunmarn. Building homes on archipelago can be logistically tricky, but and Zartmann House faced a particular challenge during construction. Not only is it surrounded by water, but the island itself is so remote that it has no paved roads.

Anders Berensson Architects

A helicopter dropped a kit of prefab parts on the island, and the builders from modular housing company Sommarnöjen got to work constructing the four-part house. The main home is split into two rectangular volumes that are arranged side by side. A living room and kitchen take up one rectangle, while two bedrooms and a bathroom comprise the other.

Sliding glass doors at the end of the house open onto a wooden deck where a raised walkway connects the main living areas to a guest room and sauna.

Anders Berensson Architects

Anders Berensson Architects