The roofline of the Tind house prototype, designed by Claesson Koivisto Rune for prefab company Fiskarhedenvillan, has more conventional Swedish gables than the flat-roofed modernism of typical prefab units.
Organized around the staircase and entrance, or core, is a succession of communal living spaces that connect to the outdoors via seamless windows. Images courtesy Claesson Koivisto Rune.
The Tind’s windows are few, but oversized, and allocated to the most important walls. The firm explains that every opening, window, and door is set flush with the interior and the “thicknesses of the joists are disguised by bevelling the niche,” which allows for a rhythmic effect on the facade. Claesson Koivisto Rune intended the interiors to be both spacious and efficient. Images courtesy Claesson Koivisto Rune.
It’s as much a functional choice as a stylistic one: Mårten Claesson explains that the roof meets suburban and rural building height limits while carving out volume beneath for standing room and living space. Images courtesy Claesson Koivisto Rune.
Architect and industrial designer Jonas Wagell's studio, in an old milk factory in the Södermalm section of Stockholm, includes photographs and sketches suggesting his preference for color and straightforward, minimal style.
Architect D'Arcy Jones transformed the third floor of this 1940s Vancouver bungalow into an office and playroom that can be used for work or play.
In the master bedroom, a small, cramped closet was replaced with a wardrobe that is partially obscured by a slatted wooden screen that was built by Metalworks & Design Studio of Seattle. "The idea was you see through it, so in a sense it doesn't feel like a small space," Smith says.
To inform the color palette for this interior renovation in Stockholm, NOTE Design Studio began with three inspirational images. The sculptural fireplace, covered in plaster, contrasts with oak parquet floors.
“We took away a very thick, heavy staircase that led to the loft, and designed one that had a much lighter look,” Wåhlin says. “The new one, made of steel, looks simple and indeed light—but is in fact super heavy and was a real challenge to construct.”
A covered walkway provides a sheltered passage between the main house and studio. The fire pit is used during social gatherings.
Bamboo flooring and custom built-ins—fashioned from medium-density fiberboard with a white-lacquer finish—brightened Gavin and Sheila Smith’s 650-square-foot attic. Gavin Smith designed the blackened-steel balustrade, which has cable inserts and a walnut handrail.
An added benefit of installing the skylights was adding headroom over the day beds, Smith says.
Charrier transformed a cramped attic into a sunny dining room with Vitral windows and white-tinted pine floors by Dinesen. The Sara table is by Hay, the Shell chairs are by Charles and Ray Eames, and the artwork is a hand-printed textile she had framed.
NOTE designed the wood blue-gray wall covering in this bedroom. A chrome Bestlite BL6 wall lamp by Gubi hangs near custom-made curtains, created using fabric by Astrid.
Stockholm Public Library in Stockholm, Sweden-The first library in Sweden to adopt an open shelf design, the Stockholm Public Library opened its doors in 1928, when architect Gunnar Asplund and librarian Fredrik Hjelmqvist decided—to the joy of librarians all over the world—that library patrons could fetch their own books. Their self-service model was reinvigorated recently, with a renewed push toward automation for check-outs and returns. Photo: Marcus Hansson
Attic Bird Houses in Cloud White, Tomato Red, and Robin’s Egg Blue by Studio Chad Wright, from $350.
Architect Christian Tonko played with a double metaphor when designing the Camera Lucida studio. The name of the cantileverd hillside space, Latin for "bright chamber," references the open window facing the valley below, as well as the skylight that bathes the workspace in natural light.
In the master bathroom, the Smiths worked with a Boston-based company, Artaic, on the mosaic tile.
Smith designed the custom cabinets, which were fashioned from medium-density fiberboard with a white lacquer finish. There are three drawer heights. "The faces are consistent but some, when you open them up, are triple-height," Smith says. "So that helps with things that are really large, like sleeping bags or camping stuff or whatever. They're three feet deep, so it goes into the knee wall, which is really handy. So you get lots and lots of storage."
The house is filled with pieces from Small-Design, the children’s furniture company cofounded by Charrier, including the transformable Cube, which does double duty as a chair or table in the top floor kitchen-dining area.