Villa Melstokke, Karmøy Island

A family of five inherited a plot of land on the shores of the Norwegian Boknafjord and, after 15 years of living in central Oslo, decided to return to their home island of Karmøy. It was clear from the original, precisely formulated brief for the architect how deep the family's relationship is with this picturesque coastal landscape full of fjords. The house was to be designed in a way that blended as much as possible with the surrounding nature and achieved direct contact and visual interaction between the exterior and the living space. Architect Tommie Wilhelmsen, therefore, applied natural colors and materials in his design, and conceived Villa Melstokke so that the extensive glass surfaces of the aluminum windows and facade systems Schüco faced the magnificent panorama.

The result is a versatile holistic architecture that consistently breaks down the barriers between the surrounding landscape and the house, both in the design of the building’s envelope and in the harmonious tuning of the interior.

Natural materials and colors contrast with aluminum window profiles

Architect Tommie Wilhelmsen drew inspiration from the colors and materials of the surrounding nature. As a contrast to the aluminum profiles of the window, sliding, and facade systems from Schüco, he chose oak, natural stone, light gray exposed concrete, and black facade panels. The clients chose the Schüco technologies based on a large number of different requirements. Primarily, they were looking for elements with narrow profiles and large areas of glass for maximum views; they placed significant emphasis on having the house glazed from floor to ceiling and maximally thermally insulated. For the structural solution, they wanted aluminum profile frames that require minimal maintenance. "We chose the Schüco systems because of the minimalist appearance of the profiles in favor of a high proportion of glass," confirms architect Tommie Wilhelmsen, adding that due to the structural parameters, Schüco was the first choice for the harsh climate of the Norwegian coast.

A concrete base rises from the rocky terrain, topped by a wooden-clad structure

The panoramic windows on the ground floor of Villa Melstokke, up to six meters wide, lead diagonally toward the coast and offer a panoramic view to the southeast. A kind of sheltered spot with a view has been created here, where one feels comfortable even in the cooler months with shorter sunlight. The concrete base of the basement seems to rise from the rocky terrain, and above it, the structure clad in wood hovers like an observation platform. The protruding terrace and roof with a glazed corner facade create a space with sunlight from morning until early afternoon. Open terraces with large glass surfaces on both sides of the building at the back of the upper floor provide further access to light and the surrounding landscape.

To achieve a perfect balance between high thermal insulation, shading, light penetration, and safety, a combination of Schüco ASS 70.HI lift-and-slide systems with Schüco FWS 50.HI facade systems was chosen. The Schüco systems were equipped with triple insulating glass with a neutral protective layer against solar radiation with high light transmission (70%) and a generally low thermal energy transmission (35%). This layer is placed on the outer side of the safety glass, which reduces heat transmission on sunny days when the windows and sliding doors are closed, while on cooler days, the highly insulated system minimizes heat loss.

Project Information

Completion: June 2017

Schüco aluminum systems used in the project:
Folding systems Schüco ASS 70 FD
Lift-and-slide system Schüco ASS 70.HI
Window systems Schüco AWS 70.HI
Facade system Schüco FWS 50.HI