A House on the Beach

In a serene setting where the beach meets the pine trees Marge was commissioned to design a summer house for a family of four. The property is characterized by sand dunes and tall evergreens: a fragile environment where the roots of the trees act as natural protection against erosion.

The plot is part of a larger property that has belonged to the same family for generations. With neighbouring houses in close proximity to the North and South, and a public beach to the East, the brief was to create a truly private space for the client. As the family has its everyday life in the city, they needed a house that could be completely shut down during winter.

By accommodating the wishes of the client on three different building briefs – a villa, a sauna and a guest house-, a protected outdoor space was created, harbouring the family’s need for privacy. From here, sightlines extend to the horizon and the sea, yet the characteristic roof remains the sole element visible from the beach.

The main building, the villa, is horizontally organized: the roof houses what is private and the ground floor holds what is shared. The ample glass panes are arranged to frame the ocean and the pines, whilst minimising visual connections to neighbouring Buildings.

Large wooden shutters act as a second skin to the façade, meeting the need to fully close the building upon leaving. In summertime, when the shutters stand open, the solid portions of the wall are fully concealed: the winter façade thus hidden. The difference between summer and winter facades is further accentuated by the types of panelling used – a stricter, more conventional panelling for the fixed parts and a freer, more rustic panelling for the sliding parts.

The bold form of the villa’s roof is echoed in the tilted roofs of the smaller buildings, creating a strong visual link tying the buildings together. With the facades clad in an environmentally friendly, pre-treated pine panelling, all buildings will weather into a soft wooden gray - slowly blending with the landscape surrounding them.