Villa Octagon

An octagon is a polygon - a geometric two-dimensional figure - with eight corners and eight sides. Villa Octagon is the name of a small town house, built in 2012-13, which nestles between three historic buildings in a picturesque neighbourhood of Aarhus in Denmark.

Despite its modest size, its unusual sculptural qualities add vitality and interest to the entire street.

Designed by architect Kjeld Ghozati, Villa Octagon was inspired by Palladio’s well-known sixteenth century Villa La Rotonda in Vicenza near Venice.  Externally, its polygonal shape, generous size balconies and large areas of glazing give the impression of a very interesting and light building.

A key aspect of the design is the simple but crisply detailed staircase which services three floors. The first two offer porthole-shaped views of the neighbourhood, into courtyards and the street below , while not intruding on the privacy of adjacent homes. In contrast, the third floor is designed as a dramatic lookout with spectacular panoramic views across Aarhus.

Decorative mouldings breaking surfaces
The interior is characterised by a combination of simple materials and beautiful spatial effects. The ceilings in the kitchen/living room and in the stairwell are partially clad with Troldtekt panels which blend in extremely well with the staircase and the floor.
 
On choosing Troldtekt, architect Kjeld Ghozati says, “Troldtekt was an obvious and natural choice, a good and simple solution with optimum acoustic performance. The material also harmonises well with the use of laminated wood throughout the project.”