Villa Timmerman is a warm and smart prefab Swedish wooden home

Askim is a popular residential suburb of Gothenburg, established and elegantly mixes family homes with nature. This is where Villa Timmerman stands high on a south-east slope overlooking the sea – a new semi-detached house created by Andreas Lyckefors from the architectural studio Bornstein Lyckefors and his wife architect Josefine Wikholm. The prefabricated Swedish home was created and financed by the couple as their own family base.

“It was a challenge to create a semi-detached house with equal qualities at both ends, because of course they turn in different directions. We had to study the local conditions carefully and take into account the weather, views, sun, evening sun, contact with the street and neighbors. In the end, the house could be arranged so that both parts of the house get morning, noon and evening sun. It is always sunny on a terrace or balcony during the bright part of the day, says Lyckefors.

Swedish home for flexible living

Photo: Kale Sanner

Getting around on the slopes was another challenge, to ensure that all levels and directions get enough views and natural light throughout the day. Lyckefors and Wikholm responded by sculpting a flowing interior with large openings carved out of the façade and open-plan areas, such as the living room and dining room (some of which extend to a dramatic double high ceiling) and the open timber staircase that connects all floors. This openness not only enables comfortable and bright interiors, but also allows residents to get in touch with the surrounding nature in every corner.

Designed for everyday family life over the years, the structure is proudly flexible. – We wanted the house to be able to grow with the family and function well during all stages of life. With proximity to the children during the toddler years, more privacy for the teenage family and with a home office or a tenant for the family with adult children. By breaking up the conventional function-separated room plan, the floor plan can be given consistent qualities. The living room runs throughout the house, bedrooms and toilets are located on all floors. The small children can sleep close to their parents, while older children, teenagers or guests can live on their own floor with a toilet and their own living room, the architect duo explains.

Photo: Kale Sanner

The house is built of wood and was completely prefabricated, simple and quickly assembled on site. The wood has been kept in its natural colors inside (which includes ash and veneer, for elements such as stairs and bespoke furniture), but treated with wood tar to produce a black and brown pigment for the outer skin, giving it its dramatic presence – in particular in contrast to the winter snow.

Three gratings externally (diagonal and vertical ribs) contribute to that effect. – The grille was an experiment that proved to work well as extra protection against solar radiation on the facade and as a protective layer against pouring rain on the west coast, the architects add. At the same time, the roof combines tarred wood panels and solar panels, which supports the home’s energy consumption. §