Swedish coastal home wraps itself in a tortoise-inspired shell for privacy
Architect Johan Sundberg designed Villa HDV in Höllviken, Sweden, with a concrete and timber exterior inspired by a tortoise shell. The home's layout centers on a sheltered courtyard with a pool, while the complex construction involved careful timber detailing and a freeform upper floor. The design aims to create a secret retreat in dialogue with nature.
The villa occupies a deep but compact plot in Höllviken, a coastal town on Sweden's southern tip with notable Viking heritage. Architect Johan Sundberg balanced the home's sheltered courtyard and pool against the site's spatial constraints, requiring intricate construction solutions. The project combined a concrete structural system with a timber frame, particularly challenging on the freeform upper floor where curved zinc detailing demanded precision. Interior materials—concrete, natural stone, and timber—were chosen for their textural qualities and how they age over time. The client has already begun integrating planting throughout the home, and Sundberg envisions the structure eventually becoming fully enveloped by vegetation, deepening the relationship between dwelling and garden.
This design approach could influence how homeowners and architects think about privacy and nature in residential settings. By framing the home as a protective shell with a softer interior, the project may inspire more thoughtful integration of courtyards and gardens into compact urban plots. The emphasis on material honesty and patient detailing could also encourage slower, more deliberate construction practices, potentially affecting how families experience daily living spaces as sanctuaries from external pressures.