To meet the tight regulations of the allowed built-up volume on the site, half of Villa 1 is put underground. This constraint helped to reconcile the clients’ contradictory wishes for the atmospheres of their house.

Aboveground, the villa is an abstract white frame, which contrasts with the lush green surroundings. The minimalist and uninterrupted glass façades flood the house with spectacular views of the forest.

The ground floor of Villa 1 is a celebration of modern architecture’s ‘plan libre’. In contrast, belowground is a surprising sequence of intimate rooms, with curved walls and vaulted ceilings. Large lightwells and a patio bring in daylight, open views to the treetops, and give direct access to the garden.

The characteristic Y shape of the plan results in the optimal distribution of the different functions of the house in relation to the sun and the views. With its open wings, Villa 1 embraces three distinct views of the landscapes around the house: to the north, a Nordic forest; to the south, an English garden; and to the southeast, an orchard, adjacent to the kitchen.

On the ground floor, the large open space is orchestrated by a series of sculptural built-in furniture. Designed as individual characters inhabiting the house, they each have their own integrity and qualities. Their specific forms, materials, and details infuse the minimalist, white space with a diversity of moods. Wood, stone, and metal surfaces add a rich sensorial materiality to the abstract architecture. Villa 1 is both simple in its guiding principle and complex in its atmospheric elaborations, as a constructive dialogue between different architectural ideals.

Villa 1 is designed by Charles Bessard, Nanne de Ru, and Alexander Sverdlov (Powerhouse Company NL)