Contemporary eco new build home in Denmark

The dark Superwood cladding also acts as a graphic black outline, providing a visual framework and a way to punctuate the clean-cut sequence of spaces. The house is comprised of a larger open-plan unit, which is for family life, eating, cooking and socialising, and a smaller more private section for sleeping. A compact bathroom was a slight compromise but the pay-off is a far more original exterior bathing space that leads off it. This outdoor bath with shower is a secluded and private spot that is open to the elements above. ‘As the shower works with an air-towater heat pump, we can use it throughout the winter, too,’ says Rasmus.

Full-height sliding doors let light flood in from the south, while the walls on the opposite side of the house, which face what Rasmus calls the ‘harder’ northern light, have smaller high-set windows and the deck area off the master bedroom benefits from morning light. ‘The house is consciously angled to benefit from the sun’s movement across the sky,’ he says.

Creative use of roof lights also plays a role; the largest sculpted into a space-age opening above the hallway. In this way, the house is always conscious of the natural world beyond its walls: ‘I wanted to work with the idea of nature and a house coexisting,’ says Rasmus. ‘There’s a breaking down of borders between the two worlds.’

The design and build progressed with consummate ease – Rasmus’s profession meant that he knew his way around local planning regulations and preferred materials. ‘From the idea to the finished house was a short process,’ he says. The layout is simple, but not starkly so – just enough so that the spaces are cut free of anything super uous that could detract from the emphasis on texture and light. The couple has also consciously steered clear of chunky or overbearing furniture that would interrupt the clean lines, opting for contemporary pieces and mid-century design classics, including vintage chairs by Poul Kjærholm and Hans Wegner and functional yet beautiful lighting.

Rasmus designed the kitchen with the aim of it looking as ‘un-kitcheney’ as possible, using handleless timber cabinets that wouldn’t look out of place in a home office or bedroom, while the cooker splashback is finished in a luxe slab of marble, its striations as vivid as a work of art.

The main architectural element in the living space is an imaginative three-in-one wall, which incorporates a sliding door, a log store and the fireplace. This wood pile is another way in which Rasmus alludes to the easy flow between inside and outside spaces. ‘Just as we can take a morning shower outside, the giant log pile – which you might usually expect to find in the garden – has moved into the living room. This is a space where we can play around with conventional expectations,’ he adds.

This home also defies conventions when it comes to its use. It’s called a summerhouse but is used as a family home all year round. ‘It’s only 10 kilometres north of the city, so we use it as much as our apartment in Aarhus,’ says Rasmus. ‘It’s a modern way of living and makes more sense than having a weekend home that sits empty for large parts of the year.’

The focus at the house is all about winding down and absorbing the peace of the forest setting. Rasmus took the tranquil landscape as his starting point and the house he created continues to inspire and soothe in just the same way.

Words: Jo Leevers, Photography: Morten Holtum/Lykke Foged

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