Text description provided by architects. Equally sophisticated and eclectic, the expansion into the residential quarter of Lund brings new life to the apple orchard. Dating from the 1920s and already carefully renovated by the clients, the existing villa is complemented with a sizable entrance hall, guest room, kitchenette and bathroom. Johan Sundberg Arkitektur Large glazed openings provide plenty of natural light on the stone floors and birch plywood walls. The contrast between the different natural materials gives the impression of warmth and airiness. “It’s the classic question: How can we add something new to something old?” Johan Sundberg says. We chose a low building form that, in terms of volume, color and materials, is subordinate to the old house, while maintaining its unique character as a new addition.
The carefully considered details and finely grained facade sit comfortably amongst the lush vegetation of the apple orchard. The sedum-clad pulpit roof of anthracite-patinated zinc gently slopes towards the stone terrace and closes the building towards the neighboring plot. At dawn and during the day, the glass partitions reflect the changing character of the sky. In the evening, much of the volume disappears into darkness while the open spaces glow like lanterns.
Thanks to the neutral color palette of the facade and roof, the addition is able to express its qualities while remaining subordinate to the surrounding buildings. Tall windows capture the light of the open sky while maintaining privacy. The living space is accessed from the entrance hall, leading to bedrooms, a kitchen and a bathroom, which can be used as a guest room, rented out, or taken over by the sons of the family as they grow up. The extension opens onto a stone terrace via a stage of cast concrete, both of which were installed by the clients. “The extension is a clear addition with its own language that does not try to mimic the old house,” explains project architect Max Germundsson. The materiality of our custom-designed vertical paneling in untreated larch reinforces the proximity to the garden and helps reduce the overall scale.
The entrance hall complements the original villa and makes it much more accessible. Previously above a flight of stairs, the entrance now sits at ground level, also improving connections to the basement level. Encapsulating the circulation space between the different levels of the house, the long, bright entrance hall becomes a new living room, where materiality is emphasized through abundant natural light. The clients worked closely with the architects and invested much of their time getting the details right. While the different dimensions and horizontality of the extension distinguish it from the existing villa, these qualities match the extension of the apple orchard and its paving.