Ravine House is a minimal home located in Skurusundet, Sweden, designed by Kolman Boye Architects. The small structure rises from the ravine like a carefully positioned chess piece, its geometric precision a deliberate counterpoint to the rugged terrain that cradles it. This home, nestled northwest of Stockholm’s Skurusundet strait, represents a masterful negotiation between human aspiration and natural constraint – a tension that animates the most compelling works of architectural design.
The site itself tells a story. What was once a modest summer retreat, part of a landscape dotted with simple red cottages providing affordable escapes for working Stockholmers, has transformed alongside the city’s evolving relationship with its periphery. The terraced stone walls descending through the ravine and the semi-circular granite-framed fish pond are vestiges of earlier human intervention – historical fragments incorporated into a new narrative.
“The strict division of the timber into horizontal and vertical elements opposes the terrain and lends the relation between house and site a strong character,” notes the architect. This statement reveals a core philosophy behind the design: rather than attempting to dissolve the building into its surroundings, the structure declares itself through controlled contrast. The three-story compact plan minimizes the dwelling’s footprint while maximizing its dialogue with the environment.
The architectural choreography unfolds vertically. By partially embedding the building into the existing cliffside, the structure achieves additional height while reducing visual impact – a clever technical solution that addresses both regulatory constraints and aesthetic considerations. The central timber staircase serves as both functional circulation and organizational spine, connecting utilitarian spaces at the bottom level to the intimate bedrooms of the middle floor, and finally ascending to the fully-glazed living space that crowns the composition with panoramic views of Stockholm’s port inlet.
Material choices reflect a thoughtful engagement with craft tradition and contemporary sustainability concerns. The project’s exploration of “upgrading raw wood material” represents a fascinating innovation in material practice. By transforming knotty pinewood through a “select-saw-glue process,” the designers have created a distinction between the structural (hidden) and the aesthetic (visible) applications of the same renewable resource. This approach recalls traditional Japanese wood selection practices while addressing modern environmental imperatives.
