Villa Kivi by Vertti

Villa Kivi is a new generation log home on a tiny island in Finnish archipelago designed by Vertti for himself and his family. Polar Life Haus, a Finnish wooden house manufacturer, was quick to pick it up for their collection. The project was awarded at the International Property Awards 2019.

‘The whole design process of the villa was guided by our goal to blend the interiors with the spectacular surroundings. We wanted to be part of the surrounding nature from warm sunsets to icy snowstorms’, explains Vertti.

‘The starting point was a clear glass cube, but we ended up creating floor to ceiling glass walls only to three sides of the structure. The north side with its separate sleeping rooms and bathroom is constructed from massive wood beams that are in clear contrast to the glass and create feeling of safety. Large terraces between the building blocks create a sense of continuity between inside and outside.

The floor plan is defined by Scandinavian clearness. The heart of the villa is the kitchen, located next to the entrance, and from there you can see the entire open interior and the surrounding sea. We like to think the kitchen island is like a DJ’s desk - the atmosphere of the whole interior space is created right there. To guarantee the privacy of the bedrooms, they are located in the outermost corners of the villa, separate from each other. They too have one wall completely made of glass.

An extra attention is paid to the details of the villa. Not a single molding can be found in the entire building. The doors have hidden frames and they too reach from the floor to the ceiling. Drama and strong feeling are created by massive wooden surfaces and their color choices - snow white lacquer on the floor creates a contrast to the dark walls.

To make the battened external walls coal black, we developed a special technique based on hundreds of years old Japanese traditions.

In the evening, the atmosphere changes with different lighting schemes that can be timed to be in sync with nature.

The end result is a clean-lined building in Scandinavian style which can be adapted to different needs and locations. It has a strong Finnish presence.’