- Interior
- Architecture & development
In the south of the Swedish capital Stockholm, architect Xiao He and her husband Mats built a beautiful wooden residence and holiday home. They remind of American Case Study Houses, but with a Scandinavian touch and a reference to Chinese temples. You immediately feel like you’re on holiday here.
Xiao He was born in Wuhan, China and now lives in Sweden. For eleven years, she worked as an architect on commercial projects, but in 2021 she altered her course. With Studio He, she now focuses on residential designs that are fully in line with her own design philosophy. This revolves around innovative designs that bring about solid architecture with respect for nature. The home we show here is built on concrete plinths, with each beam being the exact size that was needed to carry its load. After cutting down a hundred spruces, thirty beautiful birch trees emerged at the site of the dwelling, "as if we found a treasure," says Xiao He. Extra special is that these birches were completely bare along the trunk and only branched out 15 metres from the ground. This made the site look sacred, like a hall of pillars. 
The site was a major inspiration for the design
The site was a major inspiration for the design, with the uninterrupted glulam beams bearing similarities to vertical birches. They move from the far end of the house, pierce the interior, and finally shoot out again to connect the main house with the guest house. The light structure allows the birch trees to remain close to the house even now. Two of them now grow through the terrace. The house is made entirely of wood. In particular, seven different types of pine were used for the framework. The load-bearing glulam beams are pine, the outer walls are made of pine battens, and the insulation is made of wood fibre. The window frames are made of solid pine and treated with teak glaze.
Fitting within Xiao He's vision, the trees that were first removed from the site return to the interior. In fact, the coffee table is made from trunks of those felled trees. The result is a perfect confluence of the rougher look of the north combined with an elegant, simple finish. The calm of the surroundings is drawn in by the minimalist interior, which again features a lot of wood. In addition to the light wood, white tones and soft greys were opted for. The functional kitchen was developed by the well-known company Nordiska Kök. 
Thanks to the large windows, you feel connected to nature while in this home. A simple interior with a limited colour palette brings calmness and relaxation. Enjoyment comes naturally here.
Header image: photography by Jesper Florbrant
Image 2: photography by Jesper Florbrant
Image 3-4: photography by Jesper Florbrant
Image 5-6: photography by Kristofer Johnsson for Nordiska Kök