Architects:Sanden+Hodnekvam Architects

Area :220 m²

Year :2022

Lead Architects :John Sanden, Ingvild Hodnekvam

City : Lillehammer

Country : Norway

Throughout history, the area around the lake of Mjøsa has long traditions with masonry. It has been the home of 25 brickyards and both the railway station and the church in Lillehammer are made in brick. Brick is a durable material with weight and character providing it with a timeless quality. Today, it is usually used as cladding without structural properties. Our interest was to find a way to build a brick house within a rational economy and honesty in terms of tectonic qualities and a visible structure.

The brick house in Lillehammer is dressed in red brick wrapped around a load-bearing wooden structure, made visible through the repetitious openings. Brick is clearly and visibly used as cladding and weather protection. At the same time, the volume and openings are planned in relation to the properties of the material using traditional masonry techniques to create openings without excessive use of steel and concrete as reinforcements. The repetitive and simple facades follow the grid of the underlying wooden structure with simple detailing and a contemporary aesthetic. Yet, the architectural expression is a continuation of the historical references and brick structures found in the area.

The brick house with a tower is located on a steep hill facing southwest, a few kilometers south of Lillehammer, overlooking the lake of Mjøsa and with views towards the city center. A trail path runs parallel with the house on the rear side. The placement of the house is chosen to get long views above the adjacent neighbors below, whilst at the same time preserving the views from the trail path. The volume is dug into the ground as a long, slender building body with a small tower rising over the north end of the site.

The house is clad in coal-fired brick in various tones of red, brown and ochre from Denmark. The facade is ventilated with gaps in the mortar on the short end of the bricks. Details and fittings are made in copper which will get a darker patina with age. All windows and doors are built in ash. Visible roof beams in pine create an open ceiling with ash plywood resting on top of the beams. Plywood in ash is also used on the walls corresponding to the 60 cm grid in the ceiling.

▼项目更多图片