Nordic functionalism

[Laura Chase]

I went to see this house today because it's just been restored to its original state - well, except for a few very minor details, and the kitchen wasn't all that successfully restored, even though they were supposed to have tried to be completely accurate. Anyway, after the restoration it was open for public viewing for a few days, before they rent it out to some Steve Jobs type of person who'll want to paint it white (again, it was white before they restored it). But don't fret, it's listed for preservation so they won't be allowed to change a thing!

It's built by Norwegian architect Edvard Heiberg in 1924-5 and it's the first modernistic/functionalistic ("funkis" in Danish) villa built in Scandinavia. It's located in Virum, just a little north of Copenhagen.

My photos didn't turn out great because I only had my phone cam on me, but if you are interested, here is my flickr album. Just ask if you are curious about a particular feature, this house was packed with them. The architect really thought about all the daily chores of a housewife and tried to ease them.

The estate company Realea who did the restoration have a website and you can download folders about some of their projects. Most of them are in Danish, but I found one single in English, it's about Arne Jacobsen's house. Of particular interest for us here are:
Halldor Gunnløgssons eget hus - Rungsted Strandvej 68
Arne Jacobsens eget hus - Gotfred Rodes Vej 2
Arne Jacobsens eget hus - Strandvejen 413

 

[Sefton]

Your photos are great. I would live in that house in a heartbeat (except for the small problem of not living in Norway and not having enough {insert local currency here} to buy it). I love the wood flooring and the checkered tiles. The built in sauna for those long winters is a nice feature. Thanks for the posting.

 

[Laura Chase]

It's in Denmark, actually, and there is no built in sauna. Let me know what you thought was the sauna? Some of the features do look strange, and I can see why you could have thought some of it looked like a sauna.

It's an awesome house, if I could afford it I'd rent it in a heartbeat too.

The floor here is made of cork, it's beautiful.

And look at these cool hatches that connect the living room area where the dining table is supposed to be and the kitchen! The right one is for clean plates and the left one for sending the dirty ones back into the kitchen. The one for the clean dishes is located right below the cupboard where you have the clean dishes and the one for the dirty ones is right next to the sink in the kitchen, to ease the workflow when serving food and washing up afterwards. Brilliant, isn't it!

 

[Chrome]

Hmm.

Politely, not my cup of tea. Reminds too much of those seventies horrors with ugly windows. It really was ahead of it's time

 

[Laura Chase]

Chrome, to each his own, I suppose. It's really nothing like a 70's house, though.

 

[BellyTank]

I actually appreciate the metal windows but I believe that
particular house doesn't have so much popular appeal.
Bit of a fan house. I do like it though,
nice to see it restored.


B
T

 

[Laura Chase]

I actually appreciate the metal windows but I believe that
particular house doesn't have so much popular appeal.
Bit of a fan house. I do like it though,
nice to see it restored.


B
T

Yes, I really find the metal windows to be one of the absolutely most beautiful features of the house, a shame that they had to put in extra panes of glass to isolate the house better, it ruins the overall impression of the monochrome room, the decomposition of the form - form transformed into function. Really fascinating stuff. A lot of great anecdotes connected to this house too, it was apparently the laughing stock of all northern Seeland (a very posh area) because it was so untraditional and avant-garde.

How do you mean that it's a bit of a fan house? I hadn't heard of it before this restoration, so I was just ecstatic to get a chance to finally see a "funkis" house inside with (almost) all its original features. The kitchen was changed a lot, unfortunately... It isn't restored faithfully at all.

 

[Mary]

What a house! Where is it? Is it still open? I'd love to go there and to other houses like this.

M

 

[BellyTank]

How do you mean that it's a bit of a fan house? I hadn't heard of it before this restoration, so I was just ecstatic to get a chance to finally see a "funkis" house inside with (almost) all its original features. The kitchen was changed a lot, unfortunately... It isn't restored faithfully at all.

Well, I guess you either love it, or hate it.

By "fan house", I mean that it probably appeals more to those individuals who are particularly interested in Scandinavian and Danish architecture.
That's all.

B
T

 

[Creeping Past]

I'm not delighted by the attempt at symmetry in the front elevation. I suspect that's compromised the brightness of the interiors. I agree with BT that this is a fan house.

People either love steel-framed windows or hate them. I fall somewhere in the middle, because I just like them a lot. Here in the UK, the historical maker of these, a firm called Crittall Windows, still makes them.

The old ones are not so good on busy roads. And they can rattle a bit. Also, they're terrible in the winter. Otherwise, they're very nice.

 

[BellyTank]

But I'm not saying it's "just an fan house".
Not dismissing it at all, for fan(den)

I do like the "industrial-ness" of the steel framed windows.


B
T

 

[Creeping Past]

Just to say that wasn't taken as dismissive criticism on your part. I was linking my distaste with your suggestion that it's a niche taste.

Maybe it's the lack of environmental context. I might like it more if there were more idea of setting. In wishful thinking mode, if it were by the seaside, near Hastings, for example, where there are many houses in a similar style, I'd probably like it an awful lot.

 

[BellyTank]

Selvfølgelig, just making a preemptive disclaimer on my
possibly ambiguous phrase coinage, for the sake of the good Ms. Chase,
just so she doesn't misforstår.


B
T

 

[Creeping Past]

Looks like I misforstår'd selvfølgelig, myself.

 

[BellyTank]

Misforstod, tror jeg men det spiller ingen rolle.

My Danish is getting a little hazy now.


But back to Nordic Functionalism.


B
T

 

[Spitfire]

What a fantastic house!!!!!! Thanks for sharing those pictures.
I love houses like that.

 

[BellyTank]

Such a charmer.


B
T

 

[Cigarband]

Beautiful, and the house is nice too.

Who is that very pretty woman walking through the house?

 

[Atterton]

I can´t say that house interests me much. I don´t suppose you know of any art deco houses in the Copenhagen area?

 

[dobroruka]

Laura, this looks wonderful - I love Nordic architecture, grew in Rio where there are some very interesting Nordic specimens (including a rounded building which still can separate well day - night areas). Can put some photos, just to compare. I love that house - clean design, no-nonsense and with that touch of metal finish.