Happycheap House by Tommy Carlsson offers a new model for Swedish suburban architecture

Corrugated steel-clad villas
Happycheap House is part of a campaign by architect Tommy Carlsson to modernise the suburbs of Sweden with a series of cost-efficient, corrugated steel-clad villas
(Image credit: Michael Perlmutter)

Swedish architect Tommy Carlsson is a revolutionary of sorts. Dismayed by a house market flooded with identical prefab wooden villas that are built on a production model from the 1970s - with aesthetics that haven't changed much since but a price tag that has - Carlsson has set out on a one-man quest to change the look of the Scandinavian country's suburban landscape.

As an architectural relative to a very successful Swedish denim brand, the initiative is called Happycheap and the scheme's first realised villa has made an impact in the Stockholm suburb where it's built. Carlsson's house stands out for its guaranteed competitive price - 1.54 SEK, thanks to its cost-efficient self-supporting sandwich panel construction - but also, for its modern choice of materials.

Interactive tour of Happycheap House

(Image credit: Michael Perlmutter)

Take an interactive tour of Happycheap House

Behind a shining corrugated steel exterior, the Happycheap villa turns out to be heaven for plywood lovers. Looking beyond the unconventional choice of materials and unorthodox angles, this is in fact an ordinary family house - just, with a twist. An open plan, spacious kitchen, dining and living space spans the ground floor, while three rooms cover the top level. An angular staircase shaft connects the two.

Residents shouldn't be discouraged by the distinct lack of traditional, 90-degree angled walls. According to Carlsson, half of the 110 sq m Happycheap house is a void, allowing for the customer to expand the living area as they please. This will no doubt make the house even more attractive to potential customers - provided they are converted to join Carlsson's campaign to modernise the suburbs with this series of unconventionally steel-clad villas.

Carlsson's house, sited in a Stockholm suburb

Carlsson's house, sited in a Stockholm suburb, stands out for its competitive price - thanks to its cost-efficient self-supporting sandwich panel construction - but also for its modern choice of materials

(Image credit: Michael Perlmutter)

Behind its shining corrugated steel exterior

Behind its shining corrugated steel exterior, the Happycheap villa turns out to be heaven for plywood lovers

(Image credit: Michael Perlmutter)

Picture windows frame

Picture windows frame the leafy surrounds

(Image credit: Michael Perlmutter)

The interior walls feature

The interior walls feature distinctly unorthodox angles

(Image credit: Michael Perlmutter)

An open plan, spacious kitchen

An open plan, spacious kitchen, dining and living space spans across the ground floor

(Image credit: Michael Perlmutter)

An angular staircase

An angular staircase shaft connects the house's two floors

(Image credit: Michael Perlmutter)

Three additional rooms cover the top level

Three additional rooms cover the top level

(Image credit: Michael Perlmutter)

The customer to expand the living area

Half of the 110 sq m Happycheap House is a void, allowing for the customer to expand the living area as they please

(Image credit: Michael Perlmutter)

INFORMATION

Photography: Michael Perlmutter