Three volumes around a core

Three square house in Savolax, Finland by Studio Puisto

On Finnish lake Saimen stands a house whose surroundings are just as important as the actual building. In the interior, the side facing the lake has therefore been raised above the ground to give a feeling of floating on top of the water. The section with views of the local spruce forest instead has a higher ceiling to transport the viewer into the treetops. The house comprises three connected volumes, the larger of which provides the accommodation, while the smaller two are a garage and a sauna. The living section is built around a central core, which has surfaces in oiled walnut. From this, alcoves with different functions extend out. With their waxed oak floors, and walls and ceilings in stained pine, they mark where the core begins and ends. With the exception of the bathroom and garage, the house is made entirely of wood, from the frame and wood fibre insulation to the façade.

On the exterior, the doors and windows reach a height of 2.3 metres. Up to that height, the façade comprises dark oiled wood, which then transitions to zinc above. The terraces and steps are larch.

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