Project: Casa Ry
Architects: Christoffersen & Weiling Architects
Location: Ry, Denmark
Area: 4,284 sf
Photographs by: Tina Stephansen
Casa Ry by Christoffersen & Weiling Architects
Casa Ry is a beautiful project located in the small town of Ry in Denmark. With a population of less than 6,000, this town presented a perfect opportunity for Christoffersen & Weiling Architects to create a soothing, modern residence. The overall design of this home is Scandinavian, unsurprisingly so but it is also complemented with plenty of contemporary elements. The layout itself is quite interesting as it is split between a main building and two barn-like structures that evoke farmhouse auras.
Located in the heart of Denmark, this peaceful and welcoming home with an informal, contemporary character sits perfectly in its rural surroundings. The project has several nuclei: a main building and two barns has been arrange to evoke an old farm. The other imperative that formed the concept was to retain and acknowledge the simple shape of the original buildings – three long, abstract volumes, with a gable roof. Formally, the simple, iconic, traditional building is referenced, but with the added contemporary approach of the study of form without showing traditional elements or ornamentation. The facade encapsulates this concept: gutters and chimneys are concealed, wood wraps around each volume.
At first the abstract shapes of the three volumes might seem at odds with the rural context, but once entering the central courtyard along a concrete path and appreciating the surrounding structures and the full extent of the project, the viewer is alert to the coherence of the space with its specific configuration forming a central courtyard, typical of traditional regional farms. The main house is placed in between the grassland and the street – protected by the other two functional buildings. In this way it profits from the view onto the central courtyard, catching the sun on one side, while the other side opens onto fields, providing panoramic views over the landscape.
The brushed concrete floor inside reflects the traditional farm vernacular and the ground wood finish provides a visual continuation between the indoor and outdoor spaces. This formed a starting point for a modest, uniform interior approach to fit the general architectural atmosphere of the project.
