A GEOMETRIC PARADISE

Outside the Bergen city centre, in the historical area called Paradis, a family of four has moved into a true architectural gem. With clean lines and innovative solutions at the fore, the house holds space for both togetherness and time alone on its three staggered floors.

Before you reach Kathrine Svanevik and Sjur Ottesen’s ultra-modern villa in Bergen, you pass a row of architect-made houses from the 1960s. The old Fantoft stave church, originally built in the 12th century, is a mere stone’s throw away, and together with the majestic oak trees scattered about the landscape, the area leaves no doubt about its historical nature. We are in Paradise – quite literally.

– The Paradis neighbourhood lies just 10 minutes outside central Bergen. Here, nature reigns supreme, and we only have to look out of our kitchen window to see a 100-year-old oak tree planted solidly and serenely in the ground, explains Kathrine.

The couple had long dreamt of building their own home, so when the property came up for sale, they quickly decided to buy it. Architect Todd Saunders had already designed a house to stand on the ground for another family, but they chose not to pursue the project – luckily for Kathrine and Sjurs.

– We were extremely excited about Saunders’ work. He is in many ways as much an artist as an architect, if you ask us. As it turned out, the family for which the house was designed closely resembled ours, so his solutions suited us perfectly, and we ended up making only a few, minor changes to the interior, they explain.

So together with their two teenage children, they moved into the house with its three floors, one on top of the other in a special geometrical system supported by integrated steel structures.

All mouldings and gutters have been concealed to streamline the house design – a principle reflected inside, where there are no skirting boards or door frames to disturb the otherwise carefully selected materials. The grey, golden and dark tones of the concrete, stone and wood form the basic colour scheme found in the home.

– We love natural materials – both in various blacks and warm tones. We’ve therefore opted for both wooden and polished concrete floors, marble in the kitchen and terrazzo in the bathroom, they say.

Design company Flos is behind all the lighting in the home, including the black light rails and spotlights, while Norwegian company Michelsens has designed and built all the integrated interior solutions, including the kitchen and a large shelf unit that separates the kitchen and dining area from the living room.

– We chose to create different zones in our home, because we find that the large open spaces commonly seen in modern homes become cold and impersonal – and we wanted to achieve the exact opposite, explains Sjur.

THE THIRD FLOOR has a kitchenette that makes it easy to brew a cup of coffee or grab some refreshments from the fridge when you relax on the roof terrace. The cabinet doors can be hidden away to take up no space while the kitchen is in use – and can just as effortlessly be pulled back out to conceal the kitchen itself and keep the calm, clean look. THE GROUND FLOOR is the children’s domain, with two bedrooms and an adjoining bathroom. It also has a TV room with a custom-made sliding door that almost becomes one with the wall when closed. THE BATHROOM floor is tiled in grey-toned terrazzo, which neatly matches the other natural material choices in the house. The black tap unit from Vola breaks the otherwise light colour scheme, while Michael Anastassiades’ decorative IC pendant from Flos superbly accents this wonderful room. THE SHOWER is clad in the same grey terrazzo tiles as the floor, providing the perfect background for the spectacular Vola unit. The integrated shelf is a clever storage solution that neither disturbs the eye nor takes up space. The walk-in closets, bathroom and toilet all lie in a row, one after the other. The teak bureau is second-hand and combined with the sand-coloured wall, it fills the room with a pleasant atmosphere. The Insula mirror is designed by Ernst & Jensen for Erik Jørgensen.

THE POLISHED CONCRETE FLOOR on the ground level is comfortable to walk on and withstands all the wear and traffic natural for a hallway – even from the family dog, Happy. The classic Seven chair under the staircase is designed by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen, while the FA 33 mirror by Gio Ponti is from Gubi. ARCHITECT TODD SAUNDERS has created this unusual, three-storey villa. The concealed steel structure and integrated gutters mean that the dramatic shape captures all attention.

THE DOUGLAS FIR STAIRCASE from Dinesen winds organically up through the house’s three storeys. The floor-to-ceiling windows let the daylight stream in – unless, of course, the long Jab curtains are drawn. The absence of frames around the windows creates a clean and open look. THE CABINET FROM NORDÅS MØBLER, which Kathrine’s parents received as a wedding gift in the 1960s, lends a warm touch of history to the modern home. THE ROSY WALL softens the otherwise stringent idiom, as does Verner Panton’s Panthella lamp from Louis Poulsen, while the comfortable easy-chair Modern Line designed by Greta M. Grossmann from Gubi, offers the perfect spot to sit and enjoy the view to the beautiful fireplace peeking out to the right. IN THE HALL, the integrated wardrobe wall and bench with drawers offer ample space to stow away winter coats and such when they are not in use. The IC lamp is by Michael Anastassiades for Flos.

THE LARGE SHELF UNIT made by Norwegian interior design company Michelsens serves as a personal room divider between the living room and the kitchen but still allows light to slip by on both sides. The Delphi sofa is from Erik Jørgensen, PK22 chair by Poul Kjaerholm from Fritz Hansen and the Epic table by Gamfratesi from Gubi. The large Foscarini lamp extending over the table frames the sofa arrangement along with the NTK rug from Slettvoll and the large artwork on the wall, by Adrian Pedersen.

DESIGNED BY MICHELSENS, THE KITCHEN in black-stained oak has marble on the tabletop and around the kitchen island. Integrated open shelves have been placed above the table in order to break the stringent lines and give the decor an extra dash of personality. Hee Weeling’s About A Stool from Hay is tucked under the tabletop of the kitchen island – an ideal place to keep the cook company. The golden tap unit is from Tapwell and contrasts nicely with the black-white kitchen.

THE LARGE WINDOWS and hard surfaces in the living room meant that the ceiling needed acoustic panels to bring the sound level to a comfortable level – and in this case even serve as a decorative element. Around the Bykato table from Brødrene Andersen stand the tactile C chairs by Marcel Gascoin from Gubi. The brass Multi-lite pendant by Louis Weisdorf from Gubi creates a pleasing interplay with the brass tap unit in the kitchen, while the Douglas fir flooring adds a touch of warmth to the decor.

ON THE ROOF TERRACE you can sit completely sheltered and enjoy the lush nature. The house comes with a practical storage shed for cushions and furniture during winter. Both the Marty Chairs and the Harbour table are from Slettvoll. THE LARGE WINDOWS on the top floor afford a stunning view and invite a lot of light inside. A skylight has also been installed to illuminate the sculptural staircase. NOTHING BEATS an outdoor shower, so this has naturally also been integrated with a simple solution on the outdoor woodwork. ARCHITECT TODD SAUNDERS left nothing to chance, as aptly illustrated by the way in which the trees are reflected in the windows.