A dark palette of concrete, metal and stone references the craggy surface of a lava field surrounding Swan Nest, a summerhouse by local studio Yrki Arkitektar overlooking one of Iceland’s most active volcanoes.
Located on a rolling green site with dramatic views of the stratovolcano Hekla, the two-storey dwelling was designed for the family of Yrki Arkitektar’s founder, Ásdís Helga Ágústsdóttir.
Yrki Arkitektar has completed a summerhouse overlooking a volcano in Iceland
Designed to feel embedded in the landscape, Swan Nest has been partially sunk into its site, with a cubic timber-clad form sandwiched between two large retaining walls of exposed concrete.
“The project is deeply shaped by its site – a semi-remote retreat near a river, surrounded by vast, unspoiled nature formed by volcanic forces and softened by sloping hills and scattered trees,” Ágústsdóttir told Dezeen.
A timber-clad form is framed by retaining walls of exposed concrete
“The design is intentionally understated and recessive, letting the terrain lead, the views unfold, and the spaces balance shelter with openness, permanence with softness,” Ágústsdóttir added.
Swan Nest’s main bedroom, bathroom and sauna are on the lower level, with their sunken position intended to create the feeling of a more enclosed “sanctuary”.
The two-storey home has been embedded into its site
Above, the living, dining and kitchen spaces sit alongside an additional bedroom on the ground floor, wrapped by a continuous timber deck that can be accessed from each room via large sliding glass doors.
Illuminating the living space is a volcano-shaped skylight lined in concrete that projects from the home’s roof, while in the kitchen, a porthole window frames a view of Hekla in the distance.
The living space has a volcano-shaped skylight
Throughout the interior of Swan Nest, darker tones provide a contrast to the surrounding grassland and snow-capped volcano, with dark steel, concrete and marble alluding to the craggy surface and geological processes of lava fields.
This palette of greys also extends to the furniture and soft furnishings, including areas of black-stained timber storage.
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“Materiality was fundamental to the project, shaping both the structure and the atmosphere of the house,” explained Ágústsdóttir.
“Concrete is the primary building material – robust, enduring, and honest. Interior walls are left in raw concrete, carrying the subtle marks of their making and catching the shifting northern light throughout the day.”
A dark interior contrasts with the surrounding grassland
“In the kitchen, black and white stone surfaces pair with black-stained wood cabinetry, echoing the contrasts of the surrounding environment – lava fields, snow, and shadow,” Ágústsdóttir added.
The roof of Swan Nest has been finished with a grass roof to help it blend with the surrounding landscape, while the exterior cladding of thermally-treated timber planks will gradually silver over time.
The concrete is left exposed throughout
Based in Rejkjavik, Yrki Arkitektar was founded by Ágústsdóttir alongside Sólveig Berg in 1997.
Other homes recently completed in Iceland include an “elemental” black metal-clad cabin by Studio Bua, which overlooks the expansive Breidafjordur fjord, and a gridded home with a wall of rammed earth renovated by ARG Architects.
The photography is by Nanne Springer.
