Árborg House By Pk Arkitektar And Vola Project Feature The Local Project Image (16)

PROJECT FEATURE ARCHITECTURE & INTERIOR DESIGN FEATURES

An Extension of the Landscape – Árborg House by PK Arkitektar and VOLA

Words by Isabella Jeffrey

Architecture by PK Arkitektar

Images Courtesy of VOLA

Tapware by VOLA

In Partnership with VOLA

PK Arkitektar has always appreciated the power of nature. Árborg House, located two hours east of Reykjavik, Iceland, is inspired by the natural landscape and how it aligns alongside the manmade. In keeping with this theme, VOLA stainless-steel tapware is used throughout the structure, seamlessly complementing the architecture firm’s ethos of crafting homes of harmony and cohesion.

“The landscape just lifted up, and we put the house on top of it,” describes Palmar Kristmundsson, PK Arkitektar architect. This philosophy allowed the building to emerge as an extension of the natural – a place for residents to live and thrive, complementing the surrounding environment without overpowering it.

The use of VOLA tapware speaks to an elevated elegance, echoing the simple

Drawing inspiration from Iceland’s vast ecosystem, the banks of the river Hvítá surround the house and play a major role in linking the structure with the landscape. The materiality is fed by the locale, seeing moss and rock features from local resources within the home. Pebbles from the glacier-fed riverbed are scattered on the floor of the outdoor pool and timber used internally works to warm the spaces in a soft and delicate fashion.

The use of VOLA tapware speaks to an elevated elegance, echoing the simple yet dynamic ambience of the surrounding environment. VOLA’s manufacturing process minimises environmental impact by using almost 100 per cent waste material in production. Stainless steel – one of the Earth’s most durable and corrosive-resistant materials – similarly reflects the forms and textures found within the natural world. The original 1968 tapware design is not only imbued with a timeless aesthetic but also a sense of permanence; VOLA ensures updates can be made to all products as a lifelong promise of reverence to natural resources, allowing generations of use and sustainable longevity.

Drawing inspiration from Iceland’s vast ecosystem, the banks of the river Hvítá surround the house and play a major role in linking the structure with the landscape.

The intricate details of Árborg House mirror both PK Arkitektar and VOLA’s design philosophies, using resources with care, ensuring respect and maximising material lifespans. These elements allow Árborg House to exist in harmony with the landscape with detailed yet subtle moments of pause and poise.