Layered landscape: An exploration of contemporary architecture on Ramsvikslandet through small scale interventions

Abstract

This thesis addresses the relationship between architecture and place, exploring how contemporary architecture can be grounded in its context. As contemporary building practices becomes increasingly standardized, architecture today risks losing sensitivity towards local conditions that shape identity. By departing from the view of place as a layered phenomenon, the thesis investigates how these layers can inform a design process and how contemporary architecture can emerge from and contribute to the narrative of place while responding to contemporary needs. The project is situated on the island Ramsvikslandet, southwest of Hunnebostrand, in northern Bohuslän, a coastal landscape is shaped by geological processes and extensive land use. Informed by theories of contextualism, critical regionalism and place identity, the design process is grounded in in-depth studies of the site and its wider context. Through a multifaceted approach, the project establishes a comprehensive understanding of the site´s spatial, cultural and environmental conditions. Literature studies, site visits and tools of sketching, mapping, photography and writing are used to both analyze and inform the design process. The result proposes a collection of architectural structures, situated at four locations across the Contextual design | Place identity |Building traditions island. Rather than concentrating functions within a singular destination building, the proposal explores a dispersed architectural strategy where movement through the landscape becomes part of the experience. Together the interventions aim to resonate with the landscape, providing spaces for orientation, shelter and overnight stays while remaining secondary to the experience. Drawing upon local building traditions and material heritage, the interventions reinterpret regional architectural principles through a contemporary language emphasizing craftsmanship, materiality, and the relation between architecture and landscape. Ultimately, the thesis reflects on the potential of a contextual design approach that responds to the layered nature of place. It explores how architecture can mediate between landscape and human activity, as well as between tradition and contemporary needs, positioning architectural practice within a continuous negotiation between site-specific conditions and present-day use. The project contributes to a broader discussion on how contemporary architecture may engage with sensitive environments while remaining grounded in local identities and the specificity of landscape.