When the owners of the old Art Nouveau villa from 1920 contacted the Norwegian architects Eivind Hanch-hansen and Sverre Aaker Sondresen from Ark-tellus, they asked whether they could transform their old house into a modern home.
– When I first saw the villa, I didn’t think it was possible. The house had been rebuilt so many times that it was unrecognisable from its original manifestation, explains Sverre.
The distinctive Art Nouveau style with its organic shapes inspired by nature had become fainter over time, obscured by, for instance, misplaced bay windows and classic pillars that had found their way onto the back of the house. However, on closer inspection the architects realised that the original structure might, in fact, be reached, and the house modernised on that basis.
– This renovation was definitely not just for show. Most of what had been added in the 1980s was rotten and had to be removed. However, the original structure was in good condition, so we started by peeling all the extensions away until we were left with the basement and the distinctive original construction – and only then, did we start working on the spaces within, explains Sverre.
As such, the entire original layout of the house has been preserved with two spacious floors, a fully functional basement and the classic roof structure with a tall, pointy roof ridge. However, although the architects wanted to recover the essential basics of the house, they chose to move the entrance on the back of the house to the side wall in order to create a more private zone in the front and back of the house. The owners also wanted a bigger kitchen where they could hold all kinds of social gatherings, so they decided to extend the house to enable both a kitchen and office to be installed on the opposite side of the entrance. Except for this extension, however, the two floors largely follow the old layout. The greatest changes are therefore the new and improved flow through the rooms and the transition from small windows to large glass sections that allow light to flow throughout the home – particularly in the dining room where the glass sliding door is a massive six metres wide.
– Before, you could walk through all the small rooms, but we chose to close off the hallway to make the living room more quiet. However, the dining room, now the heart of the house, starts almost at the terrace encircling the pool and ends by the lamp suspended above the dining table, says Sverre as he paces out the length of the wall behind the dining table to the terrace. Thirty paces.
– The owners were a bit sceptical when we sealed off the wall from the dining room to the front garden, but we were convinced that the influx of light would be much more beautiful if it came only from the ceiling and the large glass section toward the back garden – and you can just go into the living room to enjoy the front garden from there, says Sverre.
The old house also had an attic under the roof ridge, but this space was removed to heighten the ceiling and give a spacious feel to the second floor, which soars five metres upwards in many places. – We raised the ceilings in the rooms on the second floor to make the spaces even more dramatic. We also knew that several of the rooms would have a sea view that an overhang would truly capture, explains Sverre.
– We didn’t change the shape or profile of the house. We did, however, change the interior to give the home a brand-new look, says Sverre.
IN THE HEART OF THE HOUSE stands an As Long As You Like Me dining table designed by Jenkins & Uhnger for Objekt. The chairs surrounding it are Charles & Ray Eames’ classic Side Chair from Vitra. The olive tree from Hageland stretches to the ceiling at the back of the dining room, basking in the excellent influx of light from above. FROM THE OUTSIDE, THE HOUSE looks brand-new, but don’t be fooled, because inside is the original base wall, and the structure is the same one built in classic Art Nouveau style back in 1920. 103
THE FIREPLACE, WHICH WAS CONNECTED to the existing chimney, now rises up like a wall from the grating in the floor, inside which the firewood lies. Paulsen & Nielsen have designed the storage flanking the fireplace, which is where the family’s TV lies hidden. The coffee table, Piloti, is from Fredericia Furniture, and the stone sculpture on the table is from Løvfall. The glass carafe is designed by R + D. Lab. A THIN LAYER OF MICROCEMENT has been laid to cover the original floor and flows elegantly through the open spaces. The wood panels on the ceiling further add warmth and a tactile touch, while also softening the acoustics in the rooms. The white Tangent floor lamp by the sofa is designed by Jenkins & Uhnger for Pallucco.
THE OWNERS had a Bulthaup kitchen in their old house, and chose an almost identical solution here, where a large, dark kitchen island now dominates the otherwise light space. ON THE KITCHEN TABLE stands Kristine Five Melvaer’s beautiful Soft Bowl of birch, which was designed for When Objects Work. The glass vase beside it is from Articles. THE ARCHITECTS commissioned to do the restoration spent a lot of time constructing a staircase that would work well for all three floors. Here on ground floor, it almost seems like a piece of furniture, and its transparent sides prevent it from looking too heavy or bulky.
THE SHELF BEHIND THE BATHTUB serves both as storage and as a display for beautiful objects like the stone sculpture from Løvfall. The soap dish is designed by Kristine Five Melvaer for When Objects Work. The body oil is from Frama. The sink unit spans the length of the wall for a tranquil design with clean lines. On the mirror, which spans the length of the sink unit, hang two Juniper lamps, whose flexible light source can be turned to aim the light exactly where needed. THE EXTENSION OF THE FIRST FLOOR MEANT that the bathroom became larger than initially planned. This development has been fully exploited in collaboration with interior architects Paulsen & Nielsen, which created the spectacular bathroom with its double shower towering an impressive five metres to the ceiling. THE ELEVATED CEILING REVEALS the view to the sea from the second floor, where the beautiful oak flooring seems to draw the nature outside even further within. The bed is covered in linen from Norwegian Myyk. Frama’s AML stool is used as a bedside table, and the small rechargeable Column lamp on top is from Menu. THE FREE-STANDING TUB is spacious and also offers an excellent view – the perfect setting for a soothing respite. The brushed steel tap units are designed by Arne Jacobsen for Vola and used throughout the home.
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THE OWNERS WANTED a bigger kitchen, so the house had to be extended beyond the original layout. This was achieved by extending the lines of sight from the end of the pool to the ceiling at the back of the dining room – a solution that makes the extension seem like a natural part of the original house. Both the roof and outer walls have been clad in cedar planks, thus creating a unique sense of continuity. THE EXTENSION of the house also allowed for a simple home office with a view. The office chair, EA 119, is designed by Charles & Ray Eames for Vitra, while the Aida table lamp to the left is by Angelo Mangiarotti for Karakter Copenhagen. THE MAIN ENTRANCE used to be at the back of the house, but has now been moved to the side, thus becoming a natural part of the driveway. The deep steps evoke a sense of zen that naturally slows your pace before you enter inside.
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