Water Works: Claesson Koivisto Rune

Texte par Madeline Bouton
Berlin, Allemagne
07.07.17

Ola Rune of Swedish multidisciplinary practice Claesson Koivisto Rune talks wellness architecture, designing a sensory experience, and what he does to be kind to his body.

“Water is a fantastic material to work with. Its colour changes so dramatically with light,” says Ola Rune of Claesson Koivisto Rune

Stockholm architects Claesson Koivisto Rune’s recently completed Parquet Patterned Pool and Spa on the grounds of a neoclassical mansion in southern Sweden demonstrates the architectural quality water can possess when deployed as a quasi-material. Ola Rune explains...

Chevron or french parquet is cut into practically every available surface and echoed in the gabled roofs of the outdoor kitchen and covered stairwell

Your Parquet Patterned Pool and Spa transforms the very essence of a wellness project – water – into a “building element”. How did you achieve this?

Water is a fantastic material to work with. Its colour changes so dramatically with light. The deeper you go, the less light penetrates the water and the deeper its turquoise hue becomes. So, by outfitting the space in pure white, we are able to show this phenomenon pedagogically and simply. Together with the white tiles we used, water really was our main material in this project.

What comes first when designing? How a project looks or how it makes its users feel?

On this particular project, we made the layout and organised the space well before adding what you now see as the Parquet Patterned Pool and Spa. You experience architecture through scale, materials, mass, light, etc. – and a successful project does not need much explanation. You just feel with your body that it is right.

The covered stairwell leads to an indoor spa and pool where water continues to be treated as part of the architects’ material palette

What makes for a successful wellness project?

Remember that when you are in a spa – or pool area – you are most likely wearing less clothing, exposing your skin more than usual. So, it is important to make a user feel comfortable through warmth, sound, smell, materials, light and, of course, the planning of space.

What do you do to be good to your own body?

If you intend to work as an architect or designer, you quickly realise that the hours are long, and your workdays are very irregular, with the stress and responsibilities you have to your staff and clients. I try to organise my days around this with regular workouts, eating healthily and getting good sleep.