Arne Jacobsens own summerhouse

In 1937, near Sjællands odde,  Arne Jacobsen went to built a summerhouse for himself and his family. On the edge of the pineforest, a three-metre high sand dune covered in heather rises up to unveil views across the beach and bay. This is where you will find Jacobsen’s summerhouse. The living room rests on the plateau, with its windows positioned to make the most of the pretty views. The architecture blends in perfectly with the surrounding landscape and reflects many of the values for which the Nordic interpretation of Modernism has since become famous. Among these is the belief that having sympathetic insight into and caring for the life lived within the architecture is equally as important as the functional aspects of the building, for example.

The distinctive sweeping summerhouse features the white, cubic characteristics found in Arne Jacobsen’s own house on Gotfred Rodes Vej 2 (from 1928), while at the same time alluding to the new, future trends in Modernism. The functions of the living room, dining room and square of the house blend together in the central double volume space featuring an elegant staircase leading up to the open-plan room on the first floor. Sixteen years later, Arne Jacobsen replicates the shape of this room in his own home on Strandvejen 413, which, along with the Søholm Row Houses, sparks Arne Jacobsen’s international breakthrough. The summerhouse is culturally and historically significant as a leading example of a new architectural trend which has greatly influenced the 20th-century approach to building homes. It also exemplifies an ambitious Arne Jacobsen who is doing well in his career. With his summerhouse in Gudmindrup Lyng, he creates a comprehensive architectural work of international standing – an icon.

Through the acquisition and restoration of this one-of-a-kind summerhouse designed by Arne Jacobsen, Realdania Byg wants to conserve, manage and bring this important contribution to Denmark’s cultural and architectural heritage into a new era.Sejrø Bay is home to the summerhouse that Arne Jacobsen built for himself and his family in 1937. The architecture blends in perfectly with the surrounding landscape and reflects many of the values for which the Nordic interpretation of Modernism has since become famous.

The summerhouse is culturally and historically significant as a leading example of a new architectural trend. It also exemplifies an ambitious Arne Jacobsen who is doing well in his career. With his summerhouse in Gudmindrup Lyng, he creates a comprehensive architectural work of international standing – an icon. 

In this booklet the reader is lead through the house by architect and author of biggest piece on Arne Jacobsen, Kjeld Vindum. Vindum unfolds the house and Jacoben's vision and furthermore he relates the house to other and later pieces by Jacobsen. 

English version. 

Booklet of 32 pages with many pictures and illustrations.