Design and construction work for waterscaping company. Learning about constructed wetlands, natural pools, biological greywater cleaning, and waterfalls.
Assisting claybuilder Johannes Riesterer (Lerbygge) with making fireplaces and rockwalls. Fireplaces are built as mass heaters according to a traditional Finnish technique. All fireplaces are custom design by Johannes. Clay mortar and render is used.
Analysis, planning and landscaping project. Solving logistical conundrums, adding biodiversity, and envision potential new playground features. We also look at the more natural park areas
Redesigning and updating a school playground, after new school buildings had been constructed. The 8 m wooden boat became a main feature, with concentric layers of sand, turf, fence and hedgerow.
There are little information stations along the walkpath through the northern part of the reserve. Number 18 had not been developed at all, but the theme was animal tracks. Upon arrival the first tracks we could see were that of a beaver. Yet the space was dominated by a thicket of spruce. So we designed an organic shelter using the spruce trees as building material. We used different tools to mimic the tooth marks of beavers. Long term a woven shell will cover the structure, and trees that beavers use will be preferred around the site, so hopefully real beavers will take over designing the space further.
Rock pool
This project was a collaboration between a handful of individuals. My contribution was putting together large rocks to retain the sides of the 2 m deep pool. The rockwall also features stepping stones, to allow easy access into and out of the pool. The pool was designed by carpenter Torsten Grind and Nigel Wells of Virbela Ateljé. The excavation work was done by Krister from Bröderna Kollbergs Gräv. Much assistance was received from the Grind family and friends.
Rock & Flower
One never knows what one can find when digging in old gardens. In the case of this 18th century villa, we found many rocks, boulders, and some old foundations. The purpose of the digging was to make a flower bed. Thanks to the rocks, the flowers got a beautiful frame. Adittionally the rocks helped retain the soil, which allowed a broader variety of flowers to be chosen by the customer. The foundations did limit the size and form of some of the beds, but we made it work in our favour. The largest of rocks were also limiting factors, as all work was done by hand.
The Bathhouse
At Backen we have built a new building, which we call the bathhouse. It features a large sauna, a shower, washing machine, and sleeping loft. The bathhouse is mainly constructed of an old barn we salvaged from a neighbouring property, along with locally sourced natural materials, such as logs, clay, straw and sand. Windows and doors were bought second hand and fixed up. The sauna stove and chimney are new, as modern Finnish Harvia stoves provide an increased pleasure in the sauna, and fire safety. The bathhouse will be complemented by a biodamm to clean the graywater, and a dojo to provide a perfect space for physical, mental and spiritual health.
18th Century Cottage Life
Welcome to Backen, my homebase in Sweden together with my partner Linnea. Considering how much time and creative energy spent here it deserves to be shown. Here you will find lots of designs, projects, pictures and stories of how one can modernize a really old house to cater for modern needs. May this be a chapter to remind ourselves of what is truly necessary, what is comfortable, and what is luxurious. We are of course not the only ones who have cared for and developed this place, and hope that all those who have come before us would appreciate what we now create.
Small garden – lots of ideas
I made a quick sketch for a newly built house in need of a garden for its young family. Currently it is an empty lot with a square house centered. The lot is surrounded by raods, parking lots, and neighbours with high visibility into the garden and household. This sketch is filled with ideas, which could all be realized, or only a handful selected and a modified to fit the entire garden. Special features in this sketch are: the fences which provide shelter from the surroundings, and the ability to contain the adventures of the young child in different sections of the garden; the many planting boxes, as the soil is in a very rough state; the rooftop and vertical gardens, increased the garden space on top of the garage and along the walls of the house; pergolas and climbers, which compliment the hedges, fences and trees with different colors and layers; the massive water storage tanks, as in Sweden we receive much rainfall outside of the growing season; the altar and firepit to bring the elements and spirit of nature into the home; and finally the rock formations in the front garden, providing a solid wall towards the main road and a strong presence to the place.
Countryside homestead
A beautiful little manor surrounded by forest and wetlands. Home of a young family with two boys. The garden offers lots of playinggrounds from large boulders to climb on, to mossy forests and a funky barn. Many things are happening here, and I was hired to make a digitized document containing all the relevant documents, plans, pictures, and projects. Hopefully I can show you more images soon, as there are some really cool ideas on an outdoor kitchen, and sauna in the woods.
