At the turn of the millennium the pharmacist Sarvilahti returned to the grounds at the Luumäki shores of Lake Kivijärvi that had historically belonged to his family. On a slope on these scenic grounds with views opening to the south and the west, K2S Architects have designed a small domain for the gentleman pharmacist who indulges in hunting, fishing and the visual arts.
The white plastered main building is situated on top of the hill and reigns over the site. The main volume of two stories that cuts into the slope and the single story library wing demarcate the main entrance court. Interior spaces open up to carefully framed views of the breathtaking surrounding landscape. Terraces on both floor levels form a connection between interior and outside spaces. Solid oak wood door and window frames (carved by a carpenter) complement the simple concrete volumes. A restrained material palette is used in both the exterior and the interior.
Bathing and going to the sauna are essential parts of the Finnish outdoor life. Therefore both a wood fired sauna and a smoke sauna out of aspen wood have been built along the smooth sandy beach of the barren lake. Both saunas are covered with green roofs. To accommodate guests, a small outbuilding with two rooms has been built out of hand carved logs. The entrances of the guest rooms face a small terrace, in the middle of which a young Amur chokecherry is growing.
A remarkable part of the program is the building for cars and dogs. It provides shelter for the owner's hunting dogs and motor vehicles.
Material and design choices have been made with durability and sustainability in mind. The walls of the main building are thicker than usual, thermal insulation material has been applied carefully and geothermal energy is used as a heat source. All timber is of domestic origin and wood fibre is used as thermal insulation. The surrounding landscape has been left in its natural state as much as possible.
