Building a house is a journey filled with dreams, challenges and sometimes unexpected changes. In the third episode, Säve – Husdrömmar 2023, we follow the engineer Niklas – who becomes Ellen during the construction project – and her passionate work to create a home on a mountainous plot overlooking the Nordre river. A story of courage, change and compromise where the dream of a concrete house is finally transformed into a wooden home with a concrete feel.
Table of contents
The dream of concrete - the reality of wood
Ellen had a clear vision: a concrete house that would blend into the rugged mountainous environment. The aesthetics and indoor climate of concrete appealed to her, but the reality of rising costs forced her to reconsider. Through conversations with architect Gert Wingårdh, a new vision emerged – to build in wood, but with a design and color scheme that still breathed concrete.
To preserve the industrial feel, Ellen used creative solutions such as painting the raw sheetrock in gray colors and grout that mimicked concrete. The result is a house that conveys the raw feel of concrete, but with the warmth and flexibility of wood.
Plot challenges and smart solutions
The site in Säve is located on a hilltop with a stunning view of the Nordre River. But it required extensive earthworks, including blasting and balancing. Every centimeter the house was lowered into the terrain meant increased costs.
Ellen and her father took on the responsibility of surveying to keep costs down. They navigated through challenges with different rock types, dealing with everything from precise drilling for blasting to problems with heavy transportation on narrow summer roads.
Design and layout - nature in focus
The design of the house is a tribute to the surrounding nature. A six-meter high glass section in the living room opens up the house to the river and allows light to flow into the open kitchen and living room.
Lower floor: Here, the living room, kitchen and dining area come together in an open floor plan. Two bedrooms, a bathroom and an entrance complete the space.
Upper level: A large loft with bedroom, wardrobe and bathroom, where every square meter is carefully planned to maximize light and function.
The facade is painted in falu red color with natural wood details – a subtle nod to the Scandinavian building tradition.
The trials and tribulations of the construction journey
Building your own house is rarely a straight path. For Ellen, the challenges were many, not least the logistics of getting the concrete in place for the house’s foundation. The narrow roads forced creative solutions, with concrete mixed off-site and transported in small quantities.
Building materials rose in price during the pandemic, and it became necessary for Ellen to do much of the work herself. But through all the trials, there were also victories. Each window installed, each finished detail brought her closer to her dream.
As the house evolved, Ellen underwent a personal transformation and began her journey to become herself. This makes the story of the house not only an architectural success, but also a symbol of courage and self-realization.
Facts about the house
Architect: Ellen Ohlsson
Start of construction: 2018
Occupancy: 2023
Living space: 130 m²
Budget: SEK 3 million
Final cost: SEK 6 million
Frame: Wood
Foundation: Slab on ground
Closure
When Gert Wingårdh finally visited the finished house, his verdict was clear:
“It’s absolutely brilliant, you own this place now. The house feels completely natural in its place. A modern cubist house that lets nature play the main role.”
The house is not just a building – it is a manifestation of Ellen’s dream and her journey. Overlooking the river, surrounded by nature, Ellen has created a place where life can be lived in balance and harmony.
