Koistinen Hellborg Architects Completes Seaside House in Höllviken with Randers Tegl Ultima Brick

Koistinen Hellborg Architects has completed Seaside House in Höllviken on Sweden's southern coast, a two-story residence that pairs Randers Tegl's Ultima brick with vertical wood siding. The plot sits between a residential neighborhood and natural terrain of sand, heath, moss and pine, within walking distance of the sea, and the clients asked for a modern yet timeless home with generous living spaces, abundant daylight and an efficient use of the buildable area. Interconnected volumes separate private from social functions while preserving mature trees and much of the natural ground; the new volumes largely occupy the footprint of a former 1940s summer house. Local planning rules favored single-story construction but permitted a second floor under conditions, so the architects set back the upper level and added broad southwest-facing balconies. Brick walls anchor the northern elevations and the gaps between volumes, while wood echoes the verticality of pine trunks. Ultima brick, roughly twice the length of a conventional brick and 38 millimeters high, emphasizes horizontal lines; its RT 151 finish darkens the surface and heightens tonal variation between units. Concrete anti-tank obstacles from Sweden's World War II coastal defenses remain on the site. Inside, brick continues around the living area's fireplace, where the living room rises to nearly six meters, and a corner studio upstairs takes in partial sea and evening-sky views. Project published October 22, 2026.