KLOSTER BY TORSTEN OTTESJÖ

"Kloster is a strip of land on the edges of the west coast of Sweden designed by Torsten Ottesjö. Two years ago he selectively cut trees from the landscape to create a vision for what the rolling southern ends of the scandinavian fjords could look like. 

Kloster is an idea - built for a new class, a new market - It is complex, beautiful, biomorphic. It considers its environment and can house physical manifestations of online networks. 

It is a centre, a place where we believe that networks of people could meet during conferences, banquet dinners, residencies or summer residences, which would allow for the understanding of what a house placed within a landscape could be.

The idea is that cattle would be allowed to free graze the landscape, slowly transforming the former forest floor to a grassland and with fertile gardens. Situated on the 62 acre landscaped property on the Swedish West Coast, Torsten Ottesjo. Christian Strömqvist, and David Relan have come up with an idea of luxury. 

The two houses are situated above a slope leading down to a dock and private beach, and are aligned to incorporate the ideal light conditions for the morning and scandinavian evenings respectively.

The idea is to provide a shelter for networks to manifest, for conferences and classes, and generally to provide a means of inspiration to occur within groups and to the landscape they find themselves in. 

The structure of the complex is the curling of a leaf - a single surface extended above itself. It is the extension of a floor into a building. Buildings which are built facing the rise and fall of the light in summer. Windows which will diffuse light in at all times of the day and the play of perspectives. Kloster can be adjusted to any needs, but maintains its place, it's context.

It is an environment - landscape and housing - designed for how we move, and how we may meet and we believe that considering these factors might change the depth of the meeting. Kloster is a new opportunity for connected living."Description of Architects.

Location: Swedish West Coast

Architect: Torsten Ottesjö

Projet Team:Torsten Ottesjö, Christian Strömqvist, David Relan

Year: 2012

HUS 1 BY TORSTEN OTTESJÖ

Tucked away in a valley on the west coast of Sweden is Hus-1, a tiny home that resembles a giant log. The eco-lodge is a free-standing structure that was designed and built by Scandinavian architect and carpenter, Torsten Ottesjö. The original concept was to create a structure that would reflect its landscape without attracting too much attention.

“I wanted to try to build a house which was seen as beautiful in the same complex way as nature,” states Ottesjö. The result is an energy-efficient small home that was cheap to build and has minimal impact on its surrounding environment.

The small 25 square meter (269 sq ft) home features intricate wooden flooring and curved surfaces, accredited to Ottesjö’s craftsmanship. “By using doubled-curved surfaces and complex forms, I wanted to adapt the house to nature’s infinite variety of form,” says Ottesjö.

The home is large enough to comfortably house two people, with enough room to cater for guests or entertaining. Integrated within the small space is a central kitchen, dining and living area, hallway, sleeping quarters and outdoor terrace.

As for the bathroom, it looks like it has been left off the plans and the backyard shed will have to suffice - not the most convenient design for those chilly Swedish winters! Wooden materials play a prominent role in the home’s framework, insulation, surface layer and fittings. Overall, the surface layers have been kept untreated or white-pigmented with linseed oil.

Despite the lightweight construction of bended and glued dry wood, the building is able to maintain stability. This is achieved by the reinforced board framework and load distribution across larger areas.

Protected from the elements, the exterior walls and roofing have a surface layer of biodegradable, cellulose-based, reinforced board which is wind- and water-resistant. Furthermore, the home can be easily moved and transported to its desired destination. “I wanted to have the opportunity to build the whole house in a hallway in order to lift it easily and transport it, by road, in one piece,” says Ottesjö.