Design Solution: Before construction began, architects Andreas and Anna Lebisch camped on the plot in a large teepee. When they began designing their new summer house, they had a better understanding of would fit with their wild natural site: a hexagonal structure made up of no less than 111 different panels in solid timber, each with its unique size and geometry. And rather than blasting on-site bedrock, the foundation was adapted to make the house feel like an extension of the protruding rock that has pushed up through the local Skåne soil.

The couple drew inspiration from crystalline formations in the bedrock that characterizes Kullaberg. Just like the rocks of the region, the house has both a clear geometry and an organic asymmetry. After experimenting with 3D and cardboard models, Andreas created a perfect whole from the precision-cut building elements of cross-glued spruce. Despite the irregularity of the multi-sided polygon, the floor plan is both functional and efficient. It is also dizzying—the ceiling of the main living space is almost 26 feet high and the openness between the planes creates dramatic height differences.

Throughout the process, landscape architect Anna carefully ensured that the site would retain its wild character and that the house Andreas designed would blend into the environment as much as possible. Considering the structure’s uncompromising shape, the result is a surprising harmony between the building and its surroundings.

Photos © Andrea Singer

Structure and Materials: The facade is completely covered in untreated wood panels, which over time take on the same gray shade as the granite surrounding the house. The cast slab concrete is sanded and used as floor material on the ground level. The house’s structure and frame are solid wood, while the roof, exterior walls, floors and load-bearing interior walls are composed of prefabricated cross-laminated timber elements. By doubling the usual thickness of the CLT walls, the need to insulate or seal the shell further is eliminated, resulting in a modern version of a log house.

Additional Information
Completion date: November 2021
Site size: .77 acres
Total construction cost: $340,000
Client/Owner: Anna and Andreas Lebisch

Photos © Andrea Singer

Images courtesy Studio Lebisch; click to enlarge