knud holscher builds residence in the danish island of fanø with interiors by staffan tollgård

danish architect and industrial designer knud holscher has completed a residence in the island of fanø, off the coast of southwestern denmark, with interiors by london-based studio staffan tollgård. built for a britain-based family as a summer retreat, the house is characterized by distinctly danish aesthetics, with floor-to-wall windows and a neutral color and material palette.

all images by richard gooding, courtesy of knud holscher and staffan tollgård

born in 1930, holscher worked with arne jacobsen for many years before setting up his own practice, while other projects of his include the copenhagen airport and the bahrain national museum. smaller in scale, the fanø residence is a simple and beautiful construction that coexists harmoniously with the surrounding landscape and neighboring structures.

responsible for the interiors, staffan tollgård design studio has developed serene spaces that accommodate the clients’ needs, who will spend time in the house during the summer months together with their children. unassuming and elegant at the same time, the residence’s different rooms combine various textures of wood on the walls, ceilings, and furniture, while stone on the floors and the nude color palette of the textiles add to the refined atmosphere.  

for staffan, the opportunity to work in scandinavia for the first time felt like coming home.
‘I left stockholm for the UK more than half my life ago and have worked on design projects in asia, america, the middle east and all over europe. here is a family who have lived internationally for years but whose souls also long for home – the design journey into this shared heritage was all the more rewarding.’

bespoke joinery from copenhagen-based atelier KBH are functional sculptures, acting as room dividers, furniture, and social magnets. the dining table effortlessly becomes a ping pong table – one of the family’s shared passions.

KBH executed the kitchen, wardrobes as well as bathroom cabinets, using hand-etched lava stone from made a mano.

project info:

architect: knud holscher

interior design: staffan tollgård design group

location: fanø island, denmark