Just because it’s summer… a round-up of 10 of the best architect-designed holiday homes including Alvar Aalto’s Muuratsalo Experimental House, Jørn Utzon’s Can Lis and Peter Zumthor’s Devon retreat.
Image courtesy of Terence Chin.
Can Lis, Mallorca, by Jørn Utzon
1972
Can Lis, near Porto Petro in Mallorca, was built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon as a family summerhouse for his wife Lis. Located on the rugged coastline of the Spanish island, this luxurious retreat sits on a sleepy hilltop, off the beaten track and far removed from the crowded tourist streets. Dusty pink stone, sourced by Utzon from a quarry in the nearby town of Santañyi, forms multiple pillars which have been left raw and worn to feel like ancient ruins, blending with the landscape. Utzon’s love of graphic shapes is evident in the triangular roof and the succession of rooms with sheltered courtyards between. The composition of pillars, along with crescent moon openings, frame carefully orchestrated views of the sea and admit shafts of light.
Image courtesy of WIKIMEDIA
Muuratsalo Experimental House, Finland, by Alvar Aalto
1953
When Alvar Aalto set about building a summer retreat for himself and his second wife Elissa, he was looking for escapism following a bout of depression after the death of his first wife. Using his beloved custom-made boat he made numerous trips to scout the perfect location, eventually settling on the western shore of the island of Muuratsalo on Lake Päijänne. The Experimental House has a façade constructed from a mismatch of more than fifty different types of reclaimed brick arranged in various patterns. While evoking a handmade feel, this patchwork allowed Aalto to test various arrangements and monitor how they weathered. A feeling of embrace is created by two tall white rendered walls which protrude either side, to enclose an ancient atrium-like courtyard with a central fire pit. A luxurious smoked sauna – constructed using stones collected by Aalto – is situated on the shore of the lake.
Image courtesy of Living Architecture.
Secular retreat, Devon, by Peter Zumthor
2018
Swiss architect Peter Zumthor drew inspiration from the summer villas designed by Italian renaissance architect Andrea Palladio when designing the holiday home for Alain de Botton’s Living Architecture stable of exceptional modern holiday homes. The walls are built by hand using rammed concrete to create a striped effect inside and out. Deep window openings reveal the thickness of the rammed earth, allowing walls to convey strength without being oppressive. Bespoke limestone flooring, designed around the raw shape of the quarried stone, runs through generous communal living spaces and smaller rooms for solitary activities. The house is a rare instance of concrete and glass combining to imbue warmth, with a dash of Palladian grandeur.
Image courtesy of Marius Grootveld and General Architecture.
Summerhouse, Sweden, by General Architecture
2011
Traditionally painted red, with white trimmed corners, windows and doors, the Swedish Sommarstuga (summerhouse) is a second home in the countryside or by the sea. Reserved solely for relaxation and escape, Sommarstugas evoke memories of berry picking, lawn games and wild swimming. Stockholm-based General Architecture dismantled a modest disused granary located outside Borlänge, Sweden, and moved it to a new location a few kilometres away to the town of Nannberga, on the shores of Lake Hjälmaren. Additional partitions were added inside to create a ground floor kitchen and living room with two bedrooms upstairs. The romantic and picturesque aspects of the traditional red cottage have been combined with contemporary tectonics and technology to create a simple secluded summer cabin in a fairytale landscape.
Image courtesy of Ake E:son Lindman.
Summerhouse, Dalarna, Sweden, by Leo Qvarsebo
2015
Swedish architect, Leo Qvarsebo, designed this summer retreat in the Swedish countryside for himself and his children. The triangular form creates a sloping façade for a climbing wall which Qvarsebo describes as “a bit like a treehouse for adults”. Located between woodland and an idyllic green pasture, the timber frame house is clad externally with Swedish pine and lined internally with birch plywood sourced from a closed-down puzzle factory. Protruding square windows frame views of the surrounding landscape. Internal spaces are arranged to create intriguing glimpses of the floors above, encouraging visitors to climb to the top of the building, where they are rewarded by spectacular views.
Image courtesy of Jason Sayer.
E-1027 Villa, Côte d’Azure, by Eileen Gray
1929
The Modernist villa E-1027 sits on the hillside of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin overlooking Monaco. The house was named (in code) after the designers Eileen Gray and Jean Badovici, who were lovers at the time (E for Eileen, 10 for Jean, 2 for Badovici and 7 for Gray). Initially the villa was falsely accredited to Badocivi, but recognition was later given to Irish architect Gray. The villa found itself at the centre of a scandal when Le Corbusier, a friend of Badovici, painted brightly coloured erotic murals on the white walls. Gray considered this an act of outright vandalism, and an intrusion on her design. Le Corbusier, either out of jealousy or in admiration, later tried to buy the property but was unsuccessful. He settled instead for a nearby rustic cabin, which he transformed into which he called his own “Castle in the Riviera” – an intimate summer house for himself.
Image courtesy of Edmund Sumner.
Butterfly House, Surrey, by Chetwoods Architects
2003
The Butterfly House by Chetwoods Architects, located on the Surrey/Sussex border, marks a clear departure from the traditional summer house. Once a timber-clad 1930s family house, the original structure was transformed by architect Laurie Chetwood into a sculptural zoomorphic design inspired by the life cycle of the butterfly. The curved balustrades of an internal steel bridge were inspired by the caterpillar stage, while the staircase represents the chrysalis. Outside, dreamlike retractable sunshades are shaped like the butterfly’s wings.
Image courtesy of Dan Chavkin.
Frey House 2, Palm Springs, by Albert Frey
1964
After falling in love with the desert landscape of Palm Springs, Swiss architect Albert Frey designed his dream summer house. After spending five years choosing the site, an entire year of which was dedicated solely to studying the angle of the sun, Frey perched his second home – a composition of cinder blocks, steel, aluminium and glass – on the hillside at the west end of Tahquitz Canyon Way. The result? A perfect marriage of natural rock and high-tech materials, with panoramic views. A pool projects out onto a platform in front of the house, acting also as a roof for the carpark below. A giant boulder penetrates the house, dividing the bedroom and living space, and symbolising Frey’s preoccupation with humanity’s symbiosis with the natural world. Vibrant yellow curtains were selected to match the yellow Encelia flower that blooms each spring in the desert.
Image courtesy of Eva Benkova.
Summer House, Slovakia, by Totalstudio
2020
Inspired by camping holidays, Slovakian architects Totalstudio designed a summer house containing three linear structures, comprised of a house for the night, a house for the day and a garden house. Located in the village of Vajnory near the Slovak capital Bratislava, the house is constructed from brick in keeping with the local vernacular. Corrugated roof sheets cover steel roof beams. A polycarbonate-roofed veranda is covered by draped reflective, climatic curtains to create an indoor/outdoor space.
Image courtesy of WIKIMEDIA.
Casa Malaparte, Capri, Italy, by Adalberto Libera and Curzio Malaparte
1937
Casa Malaparte, a summer house on the eastern side of Capri, Italy, is the result of original sketches and designs by Italian architect Adalberto Libera and interventions and furniture design by its owner Curzio Malaparte, who added many of his own details following design conflicts. The most striking includes the red hue reminiscent of the Roman interiors of nearby Pompeii, and the theatrical roof in the form of a stair. The house went on to play a leading role in 1963 Jean-Luc Godard film Le Mépris (Contempt), as well as commercials for designers such as Yves Saint Laurent. The house is accessible only via foot or by boat.
