arklab staggers rows of houses to follow the contours of the land in stockholm

swedish architecture studio, arklab, has designed the ‘modet’ project for a site in stockholm. the scheme comprises of twelve row houses which sit on the boundary between a nature reserve and a paved street. the architectural design intends to act as a link to connect the urban and natural environment.

all images by åke e:son lindman

the homes are designed by arklab with four staggered levels that follow the contours of the ground. the first floor facing the street contains the kitchen, while an offset floor includes the spacious living area and faces the forest to the rear of the house. the bedrooms are located on the top floors, first two smaller bedrooms, then the master bedroom and a family room a further level up, that gain views of the opposite wooded area.

in addition to serving as a link between natural and urban zones, the houses act as a filter between private and public. the further the residents ascend, the more privacy they enjoy. the design also utilizes picture windows to offer views out to the street or to the more idyllic green landscape behind. the windows in the upper floor bedrooms are covered by a coarse wooden screen, which helps limit being overlooked but also frames the view from the inside. the vertical elements of the façades creates a pattern and helps connect with the tall trees in the forest behind.

site plan

plan 1

plan 2

section

project info:

project name: ‘modet’

architect: arklab

location: stockholm, sweden

program: 12 row houses

size: 1760 sqm

client: erik wallin bygg

builder: noccon

status: finished

photography: åke e:son lindman

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.