VILLA SNOW WHITE LIVES UNDER THE NORTHERN LIGHT / HELIN & CO. ARCHITECTS

The building locates on the top of a hill facing south, towards the archipelago spreading along the Espoo coast. An obsolete old villa was cleared out off the property before the construction of the new building. The neighbourns of the property are a ten year old flat roof detached house and a villa from the 50s. The old trees of the property played a big role in the designing process. The openings of the interiors were set by their location.
 
Woodnotes Design and the authentic minimalism of their products set the direction for the visual style of the building. It was the client`s wish that the building would display the same feel of aunthentic materials that is also found upon Ritva Puotila`s textile art. The building serves two functions: it works both as the client`s family home and as a showroom for Woodnotes.
 
The main entrance locates through a closed outdoor atrium, facing the West towards the evening sun. The atrium can also be entered from the kitchen and via a bridge and a staircase from the sauna.
 
The spaces live with the Northern light and adapt the white surfaces to the scenery in which it locates all the way to the distant horizon of the sea. The concrete structure of the building was casted on the location over steel pilars and cladded with snow white plastered tiles. The surfaces of the interiors are light and the floors are mostly solid oak and limestone.
 
Facts & Credits:
Location: Espoo, Finland
Gross Area: 590 m2
Year of completion: 2011
Client: private
Design Agency / Designers: Helin & Co Architects; Pekka Helin and Ritva Mannersuo
Awards: World Architecture Festival 2011 Award, shortlisted in the House category
Photographers: Marc Goodwin, Mandi Halonen
 
Cover photo by Marc Goodwin
Archisearch - Villa Snow White / Helin & Co. Architects / Photography by Mandi HalonenVILLA SNOW WHITE / HELIN & CO. ARCHITECTS / PHOTOGRAPHY BY MANDI HALONEN
Archisearch - Villa Snow White / Helin & Co. Architects / Photography by Mandi HalonenVILLA SNOW WHITE / HELIN & CO. ARCHITECTS / PHOTOGRAPHY BY MANDI HALONEN
Archisearch - Villa Snow White / Helin & Co. Architects / Photography by Marc GoodwinVILLA SNOW WHITE / HELIN & CO. ARCHITECTS / PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARC GOODWIN
Archisearch - Villa Snow White / Helin & Co. Architects / Photography by Marc GoodwinVILLA SNOW WHITE / HELIN & CO. ARCHITECTS / PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARC GOODWIN
Archisearch - Villa Snow White / Helin & Co. Architects / Photography by Marc GoodwinVILLA SNOW WHITE / HELIN & CO. ARCHITECTS / PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARC GOODWIN
Archisearch - Villa Snow White / Helin & Co. Architects / Photography by Marc GoodwinVILLA SNOW WHITE / HELIN & CO. ARCHITECTS / PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARC GOODWIN
Archisearch - Villa Snow White / Helin & Co. Architects / Photography by Marc GoodwinVILLA SNOW WHITE / HELIN & CO. ARCHITECTS / PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARC GOODWIN
Archisearch - Villa Snow White / Helin & Co. Architects / Photography by Marc GoodwinVILLA SNOW WHITE / HELIN & CO. ARCHITECTS / PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARC GOODWIN

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