Villa Vassdal | mnmt

Villa Vassdal is located on a small island in the Gothenburg archipelago, historically linked to Gothenburg’s fishing and shipping industries. Today, the island is home to both year-round residences and vacation houses, primarily used in summer.

The site lies directly by the sea and is surrounded by nature—a landscape typical of Sweden’s coastal regions, marked by exposed cliffs and sparse, hardy vegetation.

The house is site-specific in its volume, materiality, and function. It reflects the character and scale of the landscape with a low profile and fragmented, shifting volumes. All facades and roofs are clad in untreated heart-pine, lending the building a solid presence that echoes the rugged cliffs. As the wood weathers and greys over time, the house increasingly blends into its natural surroundings.

The division and staggering of volumes create sheltered, secluded outdoor spaces while also suggesting the interior organization. Each volume marks a shift in function, using space itself—rather than just walls—to define different areas. The interior is carefully oriented to shield views from neighbors and sunlight, while opening toward the sea. Each room maintains a unique but intimate relationship with the outdoors. Moving through the house becomes a choreographed spatial experience, with shifting sightlines that culminate in a framed sea view.

The material continuity between inside and out enhances the sense of cohesion. The solid exterior expression is echoed indoors with walls and ceilings clad in birch plywood, intended to heighten the sensory experience of the spaces.

Photography: Markus Bülow / Mathias Holmberg