‘refugium’ is a pale concrete structure embedded in the landscape of kivik, sweden. swedish firm petra gipp arkitektur was commissioned by the kivik art center to design the architectural sculpture that doubles as a small walk in cinema.

petra gipp arkitektur: refugium at the kivik art center pavilion‘refugium’ kivik art center pavilion by petra gipp arkitektur photographs by gerry johansson all images courtesy petra gipp arkitektur

 

 

the entire form is gathered around a nave made out of massive wood; between wood and concrete there is a small inner passage. as a staircase carves its way through the volume, it ties the structure together and the passage opens up into the inner space, where the wooden core forms a niche – a bench. the ceiling opens to reveal a thin slice of sky. petra gipp’s idea was to inflict as little damage as possible on the site, conceptually as well as visually. the foundation is laid at the back, which allows the structure to rise above the ground and leave a large part of the site untouched.

petra gipp arkitektur: refugium at the kivik art center pavilionphotograph by gerry johansson

petra gipp arkitektur: refugium at the kivik art center pavilionphotograph by gerry johansson

petra gipp arkitektur: refugium at the kivik art center pavilionphotograph by gerry johansson 

petra gipp arkitektur: refugium at the kivik art center pavilionmodel

petra gipp arkitektur: refugium at the kivik art center pavilion

petra gipp arkitektur: refugium at the kivik art center pavilionsection view

petra gipp arkitektur: refugium at the kivik art center pavilionsection view

petra gipp arkitektur: refugium at the kivik art center pavilionsection view

petra gipp arkitektur: refugium at the kivik art center pavilionsection view

petra gipp arkitektur: refugium at the kivik art center pavilion site plan

petra gipp arkitektur: refugium at the kivik art center pavilion site plan

petra gipp arkitektur: refugium at the kivik art center pavilion

 

project info:

 

architect: petra gipp arkitektur collaborators: petra gipp, maria videgård and kalle hjalmarsson location: kivik, sweden client: kivik art center, sune nordgren structural engineer: bengt nilsson, bn konsult lift transport ab contractor: bengt nilsson, bn konsult lift transport photographs: gerry johanssonproject year: 2010