green design, eco design, sustainable design, Karin Matz, recycled windows, Blocket Mini, recycled building materials, guest house, boat house, Sweden

Developed as Matz’ senior diploma project at architecture school, the Blocket Mini house sits on the edge of a lush property behind a main house. Set beneath the thick canopy of a tree, the structure stands on a pier-like platform that protects it from flooding. The project’s elevated floor is made from the same natural beams as the dock, creating a visual continuation of the pier. The floor inside has been treated with a darker stain than the attached patio outside, delineating the space between the glass walls. The house’s back supporting wall is made from untreated cinderblocks, and a corrugated metal roof slopes back gently to shed snow and rainwater.

Inside, the space is divided into two distinct sections separated by a wall made from six stacked windows. Each area is accessible from the front patio via a set of custom French doors made from windows. The left section of the house features a simple bedroom furnished with a queen-sized Murphy bed. When the bed is folded up, a simple table and chairs can be set up in the space and the wallpapered underside of the bed serves as décor. The other side of the structure is lined with shelving that stores ropes, ladders and hooks for motor boats, and a canoe that hangs on the cinderblock wall.

The Blocket Mini house connects the visitor with the outdoors by repurposing outdated windows that would likely have gone to waste.

+ Karin Matz