Villa Arkö by Marge Arkitekter

With its steeply pitched roof and stepped volumes, the clean lines of the villa mimics the rocky terrain it sits on
Assorted terraces and a long veranda create a relaxed yet dynamic living space, perfect for a vacation home
The materials used mirror the natural tones of the surrounding cliffs, with oak used extensively throughout the interior
The rectangular extension lends itself well to the social functions of the ground floor, which includes an open kitchen, guest room and lounge, all of which are based around a brick fireplace
Meanwhile, the high, slanted ceilings enclose the more private spaces on the second floor, where a ladder leads up to a bright, cosy loft above the bathroom
A voluminous interior allows the air to circulate, while thick slatted sliding doors provide additional shade and large skylights can be opened to cool down the interior further during the summer months
The cedar wood facade will fade with age, eventually blending in with the pale grey roof
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Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
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