Swedish architecture studio Bornstein Lyckefors’ explorations in building with timber have long produced exquisite examples of residential architecture, including the chocolate box prettiness and sustainable architecture of the prefab Villa Timmerman, which was launched a few months ago. Now, the studio, which is headed by architects Andreas Lyckefors and Per Bornstein, has released its latest residential offering, a similarly elegant single-family home – and a strikingly black house – Villa Hovås.
Located in the town of Gothenburg, the house sits on a sloped site, within an affluent seaside suburb. The project spans two levels and has been designed around the plot’s striking natural views and privileged location. The architects explain that ‘the elongated volume is orientated in an east-western direction with a fully glazed side towards the sea to the west and a closed side towards the street to the east’.
The ground floor is the home’s main social space, containing, alongside bedrooms, a grand living room that spills out to a terrace bordered by a swimming pool. More bedrooms are situated upstairs. ‘The communal space of the living room is continued onto the upper floor by the kitchen, where the view opens towards the sea, with the pool in the foreground to create an impression of endless ocean,’ the architects write.
Black wooden slats clad the exterior, giving it a distinctive look and feel – the house blends naturally with its environment, while also subtly standing out. Inside, lighter coloured timber creates a warm and softly domestic environment, where the green and seaside vistas can dominate.
The strategic placement of openings ensures natural light comes in, crafting different atmospheres at various times of the day. ‘Villa Hovås is envisaged to create the experience of “living in the view” while letting its inhabitants keep control of privacy in their daily life,’ say the architects.
INFORMATION
-
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
-
Premium patisserie Naya is Mayfair’s latest sweet spotHeritage meets opulence at Naya bakery in Mayfair, London. With interiors by India Hicks and Anna Goulandris, the patisserie looks good enough to eat
-
Remembering Alexandros Tombazis (1939-2024), and the Metabolist architecture of this 1970s eco-pioneerBack in September 2010 (W*138), we explored the legacy and history of Greek architect Alexandros Tombazis, who this month celebrates his 80th birthday.
-
Sun-drenched Los Angeles houses: modernism to minimalismFrom modernist residences to riveting renovations and new-build contemporary homes, we tour some of the finest Los Angeles houses under the Californian sun
-
Modernist architecture: inspiration from across the globeModernist architecture has had a tremendous influence on today’s built environment, making these midcentury marvels some of the most closely studied 20th-century buildings; here, we explore the genre by continent
-
Minimalist architecture: homes that inspire calmThese examples of minimalist architecture place life in the foreground – clutter is demoted; joy promoted
-
The iconic British house: key examples exploredNew book ‘The Iconic British House’ by Dominic Bradbury explores the country’s best residential examples since 1900
-
Loyle Carner’s Reading Festival 2023 stage presents spatial storytelling at its finestWe talk to Loyle Carner and The Unlimited Dreams Company (UDC) about the musical artist’s stage set design for Reading Festival 2023
-
The Leaf is a feat of engineering and an ode to the Canadian PrairiesThe Leaf in Winnipeg, Canada, is the first interactive horticultural attraction of its kind: a garden and greenhouse complex promoting a better understanding of how people can connect with plants
-
Behind the V&A East Museum’s pleated façadeBehind the new V&A East Museum’s intricate façade is a space for the imagination to unfold
