In the second episode of ‘House Dreams’ Season 1, we follow Johannes and Åsa, a young couple who dare to take the step of building their dream house together – just eight months after they met. But this is not just any house. It’s Sweden’s first zero-energy villa, a home that produces as much energy as it consumes. An ecological vision meets personal dreams, relational challenges and a journey that is about more than just walls and roofs.
Table of contents
Background information
Johannes Igelström, a passionate architect, and Åsa, a city girl from Möllevången in Malmö, meet through love and a shared vision of sustainable living. “I’ve never even thought about living in a house,” admits Åsa, who is faced with the challenge of leaving her beloved Malmö for a life in Lund. Johannes, on the other hand, is in his element – designing, planning and building. But the question is: Whose dream is it really?
Facts about the house
Location: Lund, Sweden
Year of construction: Construction started in March 2013, occupation just before Christmas the same year
Choice of materials: Frigolit as frame material, wood and plaster facade with gabion walls filled with stone
Challenges on the Road
Building a house with an untested construction technique involves risks. The sandwich method, where walls and roofs are built as cantilevered elements, is fast but requires extreme accuracy. Johannes and Åsa face technical problems, logistical challenges and relational trials. “We realize that we don’t have a relationship anymore. We are very much in love when we have time together, but we hardly talk to each other,” Åsa admits.
Design and Inspiration
John’s vision for the house is about more than function – it is an architectural challenge. Window placement is carefully planned to maximize light penetration without compromising energy efficiency. “What’s important to me is that the house doesn’t look like an ordinary house,” says Johannes.
Final result
Just before Christmas, Johannes and Åsa can finally move into their dream house. “It’s magical. I would do this again anytime,” says Åsa with a smile. Despite the move from Malmö, new challenges and relationship trials, together they have created a home that is more than just a house – it is a symbol of courage, love and a sustainable future.
