The Two-in-One House is a calm piece of architecture resting on the steep and dynamic landscape of Ekeberglia in Oslo. Its slender and rectangular form is manifested at the top of the sloping landscape.
Location: Ekeberglia, Norway
Program: House for two families
Client: Private
Size / value: 525 m2
Commission type: Direct commission (2011)
Status: Completed (2017)
Photo credits: Ivar Kvaal, Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter
From a concrete base, the building grows with a wooden clad body forming relation with the omnipresence of broadleaf trees surrounding the building and topped with a light glass structure. The building provides inviting homes to two families, as well as an independent apartment. The main task was for the project to appear as a unify house despite its duality, and still ensure the privacy of both units.
The ground floor integrates the main public functions of the homes and elegant windows frame the landscape scenery and invite nature into the building. On the contrary, the first floor protects the intimacy of the families and provides a more introvert area, with windows subtly appearing behind the cedar cladding.
Reiulf Ramstad Architects
THE FIRM: Reiulf Ramstad Architects (RRA) is an independent Oslo-based architectural firm with a high level of expert knowledge and a distinct ideology. The firm has a strong conceptual approach combined with experience from numerous past accomplished projects. RRA has a permanent staff consisting of 16 graduate architects, 4 associated partners, one managing director, 2 administrative staff, and 2-4 permanent openings for architectural students.
Over the years RRA has produced a wide range of innovative and ground breaking projects with an exceptional variation of scale and programs. We have earned a reputation for creating bold, simple architecture with a strong connection to the Scandinavian context and the impressive Scandinavian landscape in particular.
Common for all our projects are that they are driven by a genuine dedication to humanist values. We build in Trollstigen National Tourist Route Nordisk Lys Two in One House both urban and rural areas, all over Norway and recently our projects are increasingly gaining attention also outside of Norway.
DESIGN SKILLS, INNOVATION AND ARTISTIC VISION: As architects and designers we are fortunate to experience the overall process, from the first conceptual phase to the completion of high quality projects. The firm has shown a multitude of approaches in solving assignments, both within Norway and internationally and has received numerous awards and recognitions for its projects.
RRA’s unconventional approach to problem solving always results in unexpected yet inspirational architecture with high artistic quality.
RRA works with the environment in mind in all our projects, both in terms of planning and administration. RRA is very concerned that projects are planned with solutions that are environmentally progressive in relation to the operation, maintenance, energy use, functionality, flexibility and the context. We focus on efficient use of energy and follow up with the latest technology in the field.
Our special competence is in balancing practical aspects of architecture such as technical and economic demands while maintaining the underlying concept throughout. We are eager to find pragmatic solutions with users as well as technical consultants, at the same time we are passionate to maintain and make sure that the original concept is carried through in the end result.
EXPERIENCE: RRA is one of the few studios in Norway today with such a degree of diverse assignments. The projects are geographically spread and take place in a manifold of contexts, from compact urban locations to dramatic and uncultivated landscapes. The portfolio of the office contains commissions with huge contrasts in relation to scale, context, budget and demands of function.
RRA has experience of producing complex buildings for intricate city center from The Tønsberg Town Hall project where the building is placed in the center of historical town of Tønsberg, Norway, The University College Østfold project which is located in old cultural landscape and The Cultural Center Stjørdal, a cultural center with new approach both in terms of complex functionality and overall concept.
EXECUTION OF THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION PROCESS: RRA has developed a dialog-based process for project development where the clients and users are very important resources and act as key contributors. We place great importance on maintaining a close dialogue with different user groups as well as other consultants to ensure good and functional solutions with a high degree of usability. It has been a successful working process that results in good working relationship in project groups. We have experience in working with bigger project where we are able to maintain budget and time frame through efficient and close-up project management. We have received high scores in clients’ satisfaction in our projects, some with the project period nearly 10 years.
RRA also has routine of producing a status report for each project phase, a very useful tool to communicate Micro Cluster Cabin Romsdal Museum Stjørdal Cultural Center Havsdalen Split View Mountain Lodge Pilestredet 77-79 RegionCity Gothenburg internally in the project group and has dedicated staff members with high graphic skills to produce communication materials to the media such as presentation materials of high quality that we use for various international lectures and publications.
