Architecture

Pulkabacken house doubles as a sledding hill

Pulkabacken house doubles as a sledding hill
As well as acting as a sledding hill when it snows, the Pulkabacken House ramp leads up to a party deck
As well as acting as a sledding hill when it snows, the Pulkabacken House ramp leads up to a party deck
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As well as acting as a sledding hill when it snows, the Pulkabacken House ramp leads up to a party deck
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As well as acting as a sledding hill when it snows, the Pulkabacken House ramp leads up to a party deck
The Pulkabacken House ramp is grass-covered, when not under snow
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The Pulkabacken House ramp is grass-covered, when not under snow
The party deck offers views of the nearby sea
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The party deck offers views of the nearby sea
The Pulkabacken House covers an area of 200 sq m (2,152 sq ft)
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The Pulkabacken House covers an area of 200 sq m (2,152 sq ft)
Inside the Pulkabacken House, floor-to-ceiling windows provide views of the sea
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Inside the Pulkabacken House, floor-to-ceiling windows provide views of the sea
The Pulkabacken House is built on passive house principles, with heavy insulation and a high level of air-tightness
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The Pulkabacken House is built on passive house principles, with heavy insulation and a high level of air-tightness
The use of a ramp camouflages that side of it from neighbors and from the nearby road
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The use of a ramp camouflages that side of it from neighbors and from the nearby road
Railings provide safety for those using the party deck and ramp
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Railings provide safety for those using the party deck and ramp
The house is built on the side of a steep slope and is nestled into the hillside
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The house is built on the side of a steep slope and is nestled into the hillside
The living room area is located on the entrance level of the house
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The living room area is located on the entrance level of the house
The kitchen area is adjacent to the living room area
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The kitchen area is adjacent to the living room area
There are views out around the surrounding hillside
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There are views out around the surrounding hillside
A large balcony provides an outside place to sit
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A large balcony provides an outside place to sit
There is a reading "niche" built into the stairs
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There is a reading "niche" built into the stairs
On the lower level of the house there are three additional bedrooms, a family room, a bathroom an outdoor terrace that leads to the lower garden
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On the lower level of the house there are three additional bedrooms, a family room, a bathroom an outdoor terrace that leads to the lower garden
Prefab steel modules were delivered with floor-to-ceiling glass partitions, the ramping roof and corner windows without columns
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Prefab steel modules were delivered with floor-to-ceiling glass partitions, the ramping roof and corner windows without columns
The house was built using prefabricated steel and concrete modules
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The house was built using prefabricated steel and concrete modules
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A house in Värmdö, Sweden, is designed to make the most of its location. Street Monkey Architects' Pulkabacken (or "toboggan hill") House has a large, grass-covered ground-to-roof slope that provides privacy and can be used for sledding in the snow. It also leads up to a rooftop party deck.

The house is built on the side of a steep slope and the use of a ramp camouflages that side of it from neighbors and from the nearby road. It is effectively an extension of the house's garden and provides more space for children to play, as well as providing easy access to the a rooftop terrace with views of the sea.

The 200 sq m (2,152 sq ft) house was built using prefabricated steel and concrete modules, which were constructed in a factory in spring 2014 before being put together on-site over the course of two days in the summer. Cage Copher, principal architect at Street Monkey, explains to Gizmag that the steel modules were unusual in that they were delivered complete with floor-to-ceiling glass partitions, the ramping roof and corner windows without columns.

Inside, the floor-to-ceiling windows offer views of the sea. The entrance level accommodates a master bedroom, two bathrooms, a kitchen with a study bar, the living and dining area, a large balcony and a reading niche built into the stairs. On the lower level of the house there are three additional bedrooms, a family room, a bathroom an outdoor terrace that leads to the lower garden.

Inside the Pulkabacken House, floor-to-ceiling windows provide views of the sea
Inside the Pulkabacken House, floor-to-ceiling windows provide views of the sea

The Pulkabacken House is built on passive house principles, with heavy insulation, a high level of air-tightness and a high-efficiency heat exchanger to maximize energy efficiency.

It was completed around November and December last year.

Source: Street Monkey Architects

View gallery - 17 images
1 comment
1 comment
Robert Walther
The ramp is an intriguing feature. I would like to see it without snow, plus an explanation of its potential uses in warm weather. The sledding idea is interesting, but I think if you're going to build ski-slope into the project, it would make more sense to put the house slope connecting to a natural hillside. After the age of about 6, the 20 foot length is going to become very boring.