Svart Hus

Svart Hus
© xoMe Studio

Svart Hus

Nakamoto Forestry

AREA
3900 Ft²

YEAR
2021

PHOTOGRAPHS
Xome Studio

LEAD ARCHITECTS
Kate Smith

NAKAMOTO FORESTRY
Shou Sugi Ban

BUILDER
Form + One

LOCATION
United States

CATEGORY
Houses, Detail

MANUFACTURERS
Cb2, Cafe, California Workshop, Cle Tile, Delta, Marvin , Nakamoto Forestry North America, Room & Board, Schoolhouse , Thermatru

Svart Hus
© xoMe Studio
Svart Hus
© xoMe Studio

Enveloped in contrasting tones of Nakamoto Forestry’s shou sugi ban siding, SVART HUS features two well-situated, well-appointed boxes that cleverly separate the living and sleeping spaces, both physically and visually.

Svart Hus
© xoMe Studio
Svart Hus
© xoMe Studio

With clean lines and natural materials that will continuously evolve in tone and texture, SVART HUS lives in harmony with the land on which it sits.

5 open acres of meadow and pine forest in Door County, Wisconsin.

Svart Hus
© xoMe Studio
Svart Hus
© xoMe Studio

Inspired by designer and homeowner Kate Smith’s love of black exteriors and the area’s deep Nordic and Scandinavian roots, the design team named the project SVART HUS. In Swedish, this means “Black House”.

To achieve Smith’s bold vision, the design team decided on shou sugi ban (commonly known as “yakisugi” in Japan) a wall and ceiling cladding material made exclusively from Japanese cypress that is intensely burned as a preservative heat treatment.

Svart Hus
© xoMe Studio
Svart Hus
© xoMe Studio

Smith specified Nakamoto Forestry’s Sugi, unburned Japanese cypress, and Suyaki™, the most traditional and dramatic of the shou sugi ban manufacturer’s authentically milled offerings.

The two exterior finishes tap into the surroundings and reflect the interior program while adding to the visual interest of the house with the juxtaposition of light and dark.

The first structure is enveloped in Suyaki™—a leathery and unbrushed charred surface that blemishes, weathers, and develops character over time.

Svart Hus
© xoMe Studio
Svart Hus
© xoMe Studio
Svart Hus
© xoMe Studio

As the seasons change and the house ages, the finish will provide a rich patina, considered an exercise in traditional Japanese wabi-sabi.

Absorbed by an evergreen background, the Suyaki™ structure hosts the family’s living, dining, and office spaces.

The second structure houses three bedrooms and two baths with views of the natural prairie grass beyond.

Svart Hus
© xoMe Studio
Svart Hus
© xoMe Studio
Svart Hus
© xoMe Studio

In contrast with Suyaki™, sugi blends with the soft colors of the meadow, milled and graded for maximum durability and to showcase the inherently beautiful grain.

The dynamic exterior inspired the interior finishes: concrete flooring, monochromatic walls, and trim, a heavy dose of walnut, and subtle lighting.

Oversized windows marry indoor and outdoor spaces while framing views of one building to another—from Sugi to Suyaki™.

Svart Hus
© xoMe Studio


Svart Hus
Elevation
Svart Hus
Elevation


Svart Hus
Floor Plan
Svart Hus
Second Floor Plan