Mor Ases vei | Smau Arkitektur

Mor Ases vei in Stavanger is characterized in the southern part by rows and rows of 1960s gems. At the opposite end, for many years, there was a pale copy of the neighboring houses to the south, but after extensive reconstruction, the house now appears as an architectural swan.
- There is a "Lykkeland" atmosphere at the south end, says architect Bjarte Sandal of Smau Arkitekter with reference to the NRK series. - The architect couple Ingeborg and Knut Hoem designed many of the houses here, including their own. It was 1960s style with pine, brick, extended lines and clearly inspired by Danish contemporary architecture. As time went on, more plots were separated up the road, and the houses became less poetic and more pragmatic the further up the road you got, says Sandal and concludes: - This house is located at the very other end, both geographically and architecturally.
But the house's new owners saw the potential in what Sandal describes as an "unbelievably boring house", and in 2022 engaged Smau Arkitekter, who have extensive experience with renovation projects and work primarily with 60s architecture, to redesign the house.
- My clients are a family who lived in the neighborhood, and who had a very conscious relationship with architecture - especially the one at the south end of Mor Ases Vei. This, plus the view and the garden, made them excited to take on this "duckling" and do what was needed to bring the house into a new era with a look back t o t h e 60s.
The starting point was a house from 1967 where the proportions felt wrong - the building stretched too much upwards in relation to its length, which was further emphasised by the house being high in the terrain.
- In order to get the elongated lines that are characteristic of the 60s horizontal orientation, I designed an extension that corresponds to a single garage. In this way, a stretched roof was extended to become a covered patio, which gave the house the desired dimensions, explains Sandal.

The house also did not have many qualities inside that were worth continuing.
- It is fun with projects where there is a lot to take care of. That was not the case here. The materials were neither charming nor of good quality. So we tore down the inside of the structure and rebuilt.
The architect describes himself as a bon vivant who enjoys working for others in the same category. This means focusing on the experiences in architecture, which they also did in the 1960s.
- In order to enjoy a house, the functions must be in place. Here, the kitchen has been moved up one floor, so that it becomes a social arena where cooking, meals and relaxation are al on the same level. The kitchen and living room surround the garden and patio, where there is evening sun.
The challenge was that the beautiful view towards Ryfylke was on the other side of the house, where the entrance and staircase are now located. The architect has solved this by inserting large glass sections by the stairs, making moving between floors a natural experience. The stairs are wide and good to walk on, and on the landing you can sit down and enjoy the view.
The material palette inside is characterized by pine, brick and terrazzo, and is a clear reference to the decade that characterizes the houses further south.
- The overall goal is for people to have some doubts about whether the interior has always been like this. At the same time, it is important to be new. Part of the reason the owners asked me is that I'm also keen not to create a museum. Pine and brick require something cool and colorful that tightens things up, like brushed steel and blue doors. One needs the other - the shiny against the matte, the dark against the light. When the floor is smooth, you end up with rough-plastered walls.
None of this would have been possible without good craftsmen as well as enthusiastic and knowledgeable customers, Sandal concludes.
- We have had a mutual curiosity, and they have been a dream to collaborate with. I am
so spoiled to be working on this!

Lead Architects: Bjarte Sandal

Photography: Einar Aslaksen (https://einaraslaksen.com/)

Styling: Per Olav Solvberg 

Bath room manufacturer: Hamran