Minimalist summer retreat in Denmark is like a house within a house

This summer retreat in <a href="https://inhabitat.com/tag/denmark/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Denmark</a> may look like a minimalist dream, but there’s a bit of an interesting design twist when you take a closer look. Danish architecture firm <a href="https://cebraarchitecture.dk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">CEBRA</a> designed Treldehuset, a timber getaway in Vejle that merges contemporary design with the traditional silhouette of a low gabled roofline. Deep roof overhangs on all side of the home make room for spacious sheltered terraces and give rise to the building’s image as a “double house—a house inside a bigger house,” say the architects, who liken the project to Russian nesting dolls.

Set within a beautiful coastal environment with views of the fjord, Treldehuset’s design draws from the surrounding nature and is built to encourage active outdoor living.

A restrained materials palette comprising larch cladding outlined by aluminum profiles and dark slate strengthens the building’s clean and simple lines.

A sheltered terrace wraps around the inner volume punctuated with large windows and glass doors that slide open for indoor-outdoor living.

“The effect of a double house is achieved by placing the thermal envelope beneath and inside a bigger house,” wrote the architects. “In this way, a roofed outdoor area occurs between the thermal envelope, the actual house and the larger shell, which give access to a protected area – a continuation of the interior which allows you, even on rainy summer nights, to eat, grill or maybe clean a newly caught fish. This transitional zone between indoor and outdoor constitutes an interesting space between the characteristic trees with a view of the fjord.”

The living room, dining area, and kitchen are placed on the west side of the home, where wall-to-wall glazing blur the lines between indoors and out.

The private rooms, such as the bathroom and guest room, are located on the east side of the home.

Treldehuset

Treldehuset by CEBRA