On the west coast of the Baltic island of Öland Claesson Koivisto Rune architects built the Widlund house. The white concrete box is ‘corsetted’ in the middle, creating slightly sheared wall and roof angles. This gives the house both its direction and character, while also marking the difference between the rear private two-storey bedroom part and the communal double ceiling-height front part.
Precast concrete is perhaps not the most common choice for a private house at this scale, but was ideal for achieving the ultimate precision in manufacturing tolerance and colour/finish. The concrete is not painted or surface-pigmented but solid white, which gives it a specific glow. The joints between the concrete elements are carefully designed and positioned so that – instead of interfering with – they become part of the building’s geometry and expression. The sealant in between is gray to enhance the graphic effect rather than matching the concrete surface.
All images © Åke E:son Lindman
Jun 20, 2012 · 13:46
Herzlichen Glückwunsch,
ein potthässliches Stück Architektur mehr!
Jan 31, 2013 · 07:49
In my many years in the household moving industry, I have yet to see a house built so simply yet so elegantly. Where I am, in Lancaster, PA, we seldom find such unique architecture. I think I am in the company of many people when I say that. I know of a household moving company whose movers took some pictures of a very old Victorian style house that looked like it came out of a postcard. That was the closest I got to seeing some decent architecture. Most of the ones I see are boring modern brick buildings that the owners don’t maintain too well anyway.