Kasper Bonna Lundgaard created this sustainable, rustic home in 2012 for his own family, located in Hvasser, Norway. Special consideration had to be taken to accommodate the needs of the architect’s developmentally disabled, youngest brother. This project is a weekend house by a riverside. The site is slanted toward the river, and the north wind peculiar to this place runs along the slope. The house is plotted parallel to the river, and the shape coming out of the slope looks like a ship waiting for the launching. The house is thought as a place to grow up and a place to grow old. I wanted to make a home where a life can be lived. A home with lots of places and situations, but with a small amount of heated indoor space. On the island where the house is situated, in the Oslo-fjord, in the south of Norway, there is a long, lush summer. However, there is a constant wind from the south and south/west most of the year particularly whenever the sun is out. The result of these parameters became a dwelling consisting of a small main-house, a guest-house, a greenhouse and a car-port. The house-constructions consists of simple wood-frames, and was designed so that all building-materials could be hand-lifted in place. The buildings are situated so that they form an atrium or a court. The idea was to make a home that can exist both outdoors and indoors.
In addition, this house is planned as a place to spend quality time with the family as well as with friends who rent villas nearby. A big dining table made with concrete is placed in the big living room, which leads to the deck space pushed out to the river. The pre-cast concrete panel is used for the outer wall and wall of north side and east side. This protects the house from north wind and the afternoon sun. Riverside house was designed to exist lightly yet have a strong presence.
