In the shade of pine trees

Complementary buildings with equally stunning views on one plot of land – this is what two families in southern Finland wished for. It took seven designs to find the perfect balance.

Balancing community and privacy

It takes a lot of sensitivity to produce a design that balances community and privacy. Yet Anu Puustinen and Ville Hara of Avanto Architects succeeded in doing just that when they designed two detached homes to share a single plot of land. “The clients were very open-minded and gave us a free hand in the creative planning,” says Ano Puustinen.

Well thought-out design

The clients wanted to keep the old pine trees and the existing stone boundary around the plot, and incorporate them visually into the new buildings. They also wanted outdoor spaces with plenty of privacy. The houses, which were to be constructed side by side, were to have equally good views, without either building obstructing the view of the other. “We came up with no fewer than seven different layouts for the two buildings,” says Puustinen about the design.

It quickly became clear that the ground floor of each building needed to have a different orientation to the first floor, to ensure the homes had both great views and a sunny outdoor space. The result is two cuboid buildings, which are set apart from one another diagonally, and the first floor of each property is rotated 90 degrees around the ground floor.

“We looked at a number of different brick designs, from Finnish and foreign suppliers. In the end, we chose a long, thin brick that reflected the colour of the pine trees and fitted in perfectly with the surroundings.”

Bold and beautiful

Special attention went into the façade and the view of the houses from the street. Surrounded by white-tiled houses that have been constructed over past decades, this ensemble is designed to stand out with high visual appeal. The external walls are constructed from reinforced concrete, providing the support needed to stack one cuboid on top of another, offset at an angle. “With this project, the priority was always the architectural requirements of structural design,” says the client, who built the homes for private purposes and wishes to remain anonymous.
They add that it was clear from the outset that a natural-coloured brick was the best choice of surface material for nature and the surroundings. However, that does not mean it was easy choosing a brick. “We looked at a number of different brick designs, from Finnish and foreign suppliers. In the end, we chose a long, thin brick that reflected the colour of the pine trees and fitted in perfectly with the surroundings.” The Optima was the brick that best fulfilled these requirements. It is long and narrow, with a rough surface, and fired in various stages, which means the bricks come in subtly different hues that pick up the gentle shade from the pines trees and blend in with them harmoniously.