Simplicity, geometry and water come together with rigorous precision in Claesson Koivisto Rune’s Pool and Spa, a new addition to a late-19th century Swedish neoclassical mansion house. Set apart from the main house, the structure is pared back in form but detailed right down to the placement of every patterned tile.
CKR’s brief was for a covered pool for winter use and an open air one for summer. The pools are joined by two simple structures, containing a dining space, kitchen and two spas, indoor and outdoor.
The complex includes a pool and two simple structures
The buildings have pitched roofs but a bare minimum of surface modelling. CKR has swathed everything with wood decking and laser-cut tiles, using an oversized chevron pattern that both references traditional French parquet and emphasises the forms of the steps and the depth of the pool.
‘There are only four materials,’ the architects say, ‘wood, tile, water and glass – the chevron pattern from wood is superimposed on tile, amplified and modulated by water and reflected by glass.’ This design runs deep.
As originally featured in the April 2017 issue of Wallpaper* (W*217)
Laser-cut tiles are laid in a chevron pattern that references traditional French parquet
The spa is a new addition to a Swedish neo-classical mansion house
The oversized chevron pattern is a simple and clean design feature
The structure is set in the grouns of a late-19th century house
Two simple structures adjoin the pool space. One contains a dining area and kitchen and the other a spa.
The covered outdoor space
INFORMATION
For more information, visit the Claesson Koivisto Rune website
-
Wild sauna, anyone? The ultimate guide to exploring deep heat in the UK outdoors‘Wild Sauna’, a new book exploring the finest outdoor establishments for the ultimate deep-heat experience in the UK, has hit the shelves; we find out more about the growing trend
-
Highlights from the transporting Cruise 2026 showsThe Cruise 2026 season began yesterday with a Chanel show at Lake Como, heralding the start of a series of jet-setting, destination runway shows from fashion’s biggest houses
-
Behind the design of national pavilions in Venice: three studios to knowDesigning the British, Swiss and Mexican national pavilions at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025 are three outstanding studios to know before you go
-
This striking new vineyard is putting Swedish wine on the mapBerglund Arkitekter completes a new home for Kullabergs Vingård in Sweden's verdant Skåne country
-
‘Close to solitude, but with a neighbour’: Furu’s cabins in the woods are a tranquil escapeTaking its name from the Swedish word for ‘pine tree’, creative project management studio Furu is growing against the grain
-
Stockholm Wood City: inside the extraordinary timber architecture projectStockholm Wood City is leading the way in timber architecture; we speak to the people behind it to find out the who, what, why and how of the project
-
A bold new water tower by White Arkitekter strides across the Swedish landscapeThe Våga Water Tower in Varberg is a monument to civil engineering, a functional concrete sculpture that's designed to last for centuries
-
This Swedish summer house is a family's serene retreat by the trees and the Baltic seaHorsö, a Swedish summer house by Atelier Alba is a playfully elegant retreat by the Kalmarsund Sea and a natural reserve
-
Explore wood architecture, Paris' new timber tower and how to make sustainable construction look ‘iconic’A new timber tower brings wood architecture into sharp focus in Paris and highlights ways to craft buildings that are both sustainable and look great: we spoke to project architects LAN, and explore the genre through further examples
-
This Stockholm house cascades towards the Swedish seashoreA private Stockholm house by Ström Architects makes the most of its natural setting, while creating a serene haven for its owners
-
Cabin Kiladalen in Sweden takes architectural reuse to the next levelCabin Kiladalen by Vardehaugen started its life in an Oslo exhibition, but has now found a second life as a Swedish lakeside retreat
