The Polite House | JVA
Situated in the residential area of Havstein, this compact single family house is overlooking the fjord and city of Trondheim. The house has a modest and abstract formal character in a neighbourhood with various density and architectural expressions. Regulated minimal distance to adjacent road is maintained by the shifting geometrical shape of the house. The shift also obtains a significant view for a neighbour up the hill. These two obstructions – road and neighbour – gave the house its characteristic form.
Lars Evanger
trong verticality has emerged from a narrow site. The upright shape gives great views from the living room to the north, and the lifted terrace provides a comfortable outdoor space to the south. The shifted upper level of the house makes intricate spaces inside. The plan is really compact with various functions combined such as play area with hallway, guest with office space and kitchen and living room together. Angled walls and narrow spaces give specific solutions to a dense house. The vase-like expression of the house has emerged from minimal details, along with an exterior and interior cladding in white fiber cement panels. Ceilings are in birch plywood and the floor is made in epoxy terrazzo cast on site which gives a warm atmosphere to the interior.
Lars Evanger
Project Info:
Architects: JVA
Primary Architects: Einar Jarmund, Håkon Vigsnæs, Alessandra Kosberg, Ane Sønderaal Tolfsen, Claes Cho Heske Ekornås, Paul-Henri Henn
Photographs: Lars Evanger
Kristin Hoover is an editor at Arch2O and a proud graduate of Virginia Tech. Since joining in July 2014, she has authored over 200 insightful articles covering everything from adaptive reuse and cultural centers to eco-buildings and urban infrastructure . With a passion for architectural storytelling, Kristin skillfully curates and crafts compelling narratives that bring design innovation to life. Her editorial work reflects a broad yet finely honed interest in how architecture intersects with society, technology, and the environment—making her a key voice shaping Arch2O’s explorations of contemporary built form.