House On A Hill

The design had two main goals: to fully embrace the magnificent view of Lake Inari in the north, and to be affordable. To keep costs down, I arranged all the essential spaces as tightly as possible around a double-height living area. With what was left of our bank loan, we managed to build 50 square meters of living space.

Since shabbiness is a central theme of the design, I added some intentional quirks: the two chimneys on the gable roof are different heights, and the facades are clad in simple, untreated spruce boards that will weather unevenly over time, slowly turning grey.

Spatially, the house is very straightforward. From the entrance, you can see the large red brick fireplace and, beyond it, the gable-end window. The bedrooms are located on the eastern side of the living area, with the master bedroom and en-suite tucked into the southern end. The doors to the kids’ rooms and my wife’s study (which also looks out over the lake) are cleverly hidden among the kitchen cabinets. The entire kitchen can be concealed behind sliding doors—perfect for when we’re too tired to tidy up.

We’re still in the process of turning this house into a home, but it turns out that shabbiness, as a design principle, suits a family with four kids just fine.

Project status: Completed 2024