Pavillion House

The design of the Pavilion House is all about transparency; nature becomes an integral part of the interior. With a delicate and minimized steel construction, wooden window frames and a vertical cladding in local larch that corresponds with the existing structures on the site, there is a harmonious meeting between old and new buildings. The exterior part of the windows and fascia board of the roof in dark carbon grey metal make the steel as subtle and discrete as possible so that the wooden character of the house becomes the dominant expression.

Further increasing the presence of the house, the existing annexe has been extended to create a studio, with windows in a rhythm that responds to the fenestration of the main house and a simple L-shaped shingle border, bringing the buildings closely together. The additional space now offers a music room with a grand piano, a comfortable TV area as well as a quiet workspace. Elsewhere, a sauna has been added, with grand views over the fields.

Designed by Norm Architects back in 2017, but never completed, the current homeowners took on the project of bringing back the building to its original vision. “It is hard to think of this project outside of the pandemic. To have had a period of time in which it was possible to concentrate fully on something which had stalled, but had so much potential, was a real privilege,” they say of the process.

A key decision was to half the size of the existing barn, as its 5000 sqm dominated the site and was quite oversized. The new homeowners found it difficult to imagine how it could ever be used appropriately within the context of a residential, as opposed to agricultural, use. The barn that was left standing was repurposed to carry a generous number of solar panels for electricity generation with ample storage batteries inside the building, together with a rainwater system. Today, the barn has thus become a veritable eco-workhorse.

The removal of half of the barn had the effect of revealing new and wonderful views from the house as well as from the newly built studio in the annexe. Ton of concrete was moved around the site in order to create a new landscape for the house to stand in, as well as a space for a terraced seating and dining area.

Seeing through the logic of what had been started by the original owners, the renovation project allowed the new owners to move from a residential building surrounded by agricultural buildings and machinery in the middle of a farmyard to one that has become the principal form, set elegantly in its surrounding landscape.

Pavilion House cannot be thought of outside of the context of the surrounding countryside and the furnishings, as a result, follow suit. The feeling of the space is one of tranquillity, and it has therefore been important that the entirety of the interior plays a key role in tying together the contextual and spatial characteristics of the project.

Wherever you find yourself in the house, there’s a seamless transition between its different functions. Wherever you choose to look out, you’ll find yourself fully immersed in the glorious surroundings; the architectural structure never spoils the stunning views.