Summer House on the unique rocky land on the Baltic Sea Island by Pluspuu Oy

Architects: Pluspuu Oy
Location: Finland
Year: 2015
Area: 1.227 ft²/ 114 m²
Photo courtesy: Samuli Miettinen
Description:

“This unique rocky Island on the Baltic Sea belongs to the family living in Helsinki. The Island is 5,5 hectares and located in outer sea with huge sea views. The starting point to architectural planning was Pluspuu models Isokari and Luoto – villa and sauna. The houses were planned to different places on the island – distance about 900 m.

House models were modified according to family’s wishes and hopes and were fitted to the building sites rocky terrain and nature. The target was to plan houses like birds do their nests – they have to see everything from nest but no one has to see the nest.

Both houses are in two parts under the same roof. In the main house the rooms for quests are separated with handy decked intermediate space. And in the sauna house the sauna and washroom are separated from dressing room.

The most important thing in architectural design was naturally to catch the sea view and rocky nature to the part of houses. Only large and simple windows separates those.

The height positions of the houses were carefully planned. The house, large terrace made of Siberian larch and the rocky beach are in great harmony.

The circumstances in this island are really hard. In winter there may be snow one meter or more and temperature -25 degrees. In the summertime may easily be +30 degrees and sunshine whole day – on the other hand the wind and rain may be 35 meters/second.

Both houses are made of Pluspuu logs with special modern shape. There are no traditional log corners or overlaps. This makes possible modern architectural design.

Log is an excellent material for this kind of buildings in hard circumstances – it is strong and lasting and it breaths – you can leave the building without heating even in the winter if you don’t use the it. In addition to architectural design there’s been paid great attention to engineering design. There is a special sealing between logs to keep the rainwater outside. Also in the eaves there are special wind deflectors. All the insulation materials are natural and breathing wooden fiber and linen. Plastics are not used. There are no nails also on outer surface.