Villa Färingsö is the Swedish home of an artist and botanist, designed by Strombro Building Workshop. The 210 m² residence was built on a gentle slope amidst ancient oak trees, orchards and vast pastures. The architects incorporated the slightly steep slope of the site into their design, allowing the building to blend naturally into its surroundings.
Villa Färingsö amidst the Swedish countryside
The Swedish countryside provided the backdrop for the project by Daniel Fagerberg and Julia Rybakolnikova. The plot, which slopes gently towards the west, required a particularly careful approach; consequently, rather than a single structure, four separate segments with distinctive arched roofs were created. This layout made it possible to preserve the existing flowerbeds and trees on the site, eliminating the need to build a high retaining wall or a storey sunk into the ground. The inspiration for these highly unusual roofs was a villa designed by Ralph Erskine, situated a few kilometres away. The client wished to live in a building featuring precisely such arches.
The home of a botanist and artist
The driving force behind the entire project was the mother of architect Daniel Fagerberg, a botanist and artist who had spent years documenting plants and the world of insects. Initially, the façades of her house were to be finished with white plaster, which would serve as a backdrop for living plant arrangements. However, during the design phase, it was decided to use wooden cladding, which provides a richer texture and is better suited to the house’s considerable size. Wood also features heavily in the interiors and is paired with light-coloured walls – all to achieve the greatest possible harmony with nature. The décor also blends in with this idyllic atmosphere. The rooms are filled with rustic accessories and furniture, complemented by references to the homeowner’s great passion, which is, of course, botany.
Interiors full of light and framed views
The individual sections of Villa Färingsö are arranged alternately along a central axis, leading from the conservatory through the kitchen and the living room with its large fireplace to the spacious artist’s studio. The arched roofs inside give way to pointed vaults, whilst the transverse walls gradually reveal successive rooms. Corner glazing creates beautiful frames for selected sections of the landscape, highlighting individual trees and distant views. The architects treated the windows as picture frames. An additional effect is created by the circular skylights situated at the highest points of the roofs, casting shifting streaks of light onto the walls.
Bio-based Villa Färingsö
The botanist’s house was built using compressed straw elements, glued laminated timber, wood fibre insulation and a foundation based on foam glass. Most of the components were prepared in advance using CNC technology and prefabrication, with the construction relying on readily available materials. The entire process was supported by a detailed BIM model and a digital twin of the building, which helped to minimise waste, streamline the organisation of the works and ensure quality control. The result? A house made almost entirely from bio-based materials, built on a reasonable budget and with great attention to every detail.
design: Strombro Building Workshop
floor area: 210 sq m
year of construction: 2024
photographs: Andrea Singer
See also: Detached house|Ecology|Timber|Recycling|Sweden|Interesting facts
