Norm Architects has designed Sjöparken, a tranquil retreat nestled in the beech forests of Halland, Sweden.

At the heart of the site are seven villas, arranged intermittently around the lake. Each villa seamlessly intertwines four hotel rooms through glass corridors, offering a poignant homage to the site’s history by creating the sensation of strolling through an open-air village.

The intentional design masterfully blurs the boundaries between interior and exterior spaces, amplifying the intimate connection with the surroundings. Though minimal in design, each abode comprises a private bathing jetty, in-room sauna and expansive lakeside vistas, unveiling a communion with nature.

The small village of wooden villas draws on many different sources of architectural inspiration – from simple fishing huts with a wooden pier to the well-known glass corridors at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. The style of the architecture is minimal, with transitional spaces like column-lined walkways between each house, louvered elements and the wooden deck, which are translations of similar aesthetics in traditional Japanese architecture.

Sjöparken seamlessly augments the offerings of Ästad Vingård, bringing in new accommodation to accompany Michelin-starred restaurant ÄNG, also designed by Norm Architects.