Forester's house and service building
The nature reserve of Grimeton is a part of Åkulla beech woods area, situated a couple of miles east of Varberg, close to the world heritage of Grimeton. It is a dramatic nature that rises over the flat arable lands along the seaboard.
Highly situated on a plateau by one of the smaller lakes, Rörsjön, is the refugium and the barn solitarily located. The barn connects to the newly constructed wood road. Here the forest opens and create a place where the encounter between the modern forestry and the old forest become visible. Here is the forest guard working with demands on a rational forestry and recreation, a peace in mood and sense.
On the top of the hill is the refugium situated, low-voiced functional with the dark introvert façade where only the entrance box breaks the otherwise austere façade. Not before the walking along the steep towards the house you will see, through the entrance box and the whole building, the magnificent view over the woods and the lake which with its mist gives a nearest bewitching atmosphere.
Windowpanes and picture plans with different distances, with support of the walls guidelines and the vertical forest enhance the drama of the forest. A wish of a strong experience and a contrast between the caring inside and the wild external. The two volumes of tarred wood stand on an open foundation and are sophisticated by details of concrete, zinc and teak. The volumes are clear and the details carefully made to express an architectural entirety between these two buildings.
The varying wood facade folds under the volume, yaws in corners and follows the jutting and suppressing parts, external and internal. The details of the windows are made by teak. The fireplace and the surfaces that are exposed are made of concrete, for example the entrance floor, the kitchen- and bathroom working surfaces.
To build inside a nature reserve claims a standpoint concerning the inhabitation of the old forest, humbleness towards the forest despite the interference. A foundation highly over the ground indicate the wish to leave the ground untouched, visually and theoretically. To cast a fireplace will stand as the necessity to make it possible to inhabit the place.
The architectural interpretation of the refugium has the intention to represent a habitation and workplace for the caring and administration of the forest for the forthcoming generations.
