Danish longhouses have been around since the Viking times. This residential typology was, in its most common iterations, humble farmhouses built in timber and clay, centred around a fireplace, where families would congregate to prepare food and eat. The island of Fanø, in the Wadden Sea, now has a modern version of the traditional longhouse, courtesy of Copenhagen architecture firm Lenschow & Pihlmann.
The architects decided to work with the island's longhouse vernacular for their latest residential commission; yet giving it a contemporary twist. So, the new structure feels simple and robust, as those old houses would, and its simple, almost archetypal residential outline is long and low, featuring a continuous pitched roof. Inside, a large double height, open plan space with mezzanine forms the generous, main living areas, blending uses and daily activities.
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At the same time, the design is defined by a great level of refinement, made out of carefully picked, tactile surfaces in natural materials that help compose a soft, almost minimalist - yet not stark - setting. The exterior features clay tiles and warm terracotta tone render, and inside, bricks and joinery in various wood species create a cocooning environment. At the same time powder coated steel offers variety through a material accent in the kitchen.
Even though the firm's first project was not a house – it was a temporary pavilion, called the Orangery, on the grounds of the Gl. Holtegaard Art Gallery, say the architects - designing houses is very important for the young firm.
Creating a house is about ‘giving form to basic needs', say directors Kim Lenschow Andersen and Søren Thirup Pihlmann, ‘and doing it in a way that gives houses atmosphere and a character that derives from material and structure. We strive to change the common perception of existing typologies, construction methods or materials that we believe have qualities that are ignored.'
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