This Scandinavian Villa Was Designed to Blend Into Nature

If you ever wished for invisibility as a superpower, we might’ve found the next best thing: a hideaway in the Eriksberg Hotel and Nature Reserve, Sweden’s largest safari park. Named SynVillan, which means “optical illusion,” the elevated retreat has a shimmering façade by German manufacturer Exyd that all but makes it disappear into its surroundings. But sitting atop the dimpled, mirrored cladding, which is ventilated to regulate temperature, is a decidedly asynchronous roof made of straw. “I wanted to combine the local rural tradition of roof making with a reflective high-tech material that makes the building almost disappear in the sky like a mirage,” says Swedish architect Thomas Sandell. His team was responsible for designing the contemporary space that, with pale wood interiors and pastel accents, has a decidedly Scandinavian feel. And it includes an element of surprise as well: a window in its floor. “Under the building, the wild animals will be feeding, and you’re able to watch them,” says Sandell. The only slight downside to the house is that there’s no running water (it has electricity and gas, however), but it’s a fair trade-off to get this close to wildlife.

SynVillan is the newest house at Eriksberg, joining a number of other accommodations in a range of sizes, design styles, and amenities. Here, we bring you on a tour of SynVillan.

SynVillan, a vacation rental in Sweden designed by Thomas Sandell of Stockholm-based architecture firm Sandellsandberg .

SynVillan sits nearly 10 feet off the ground, making the floor window all the more dramatic.

A glass floor (far right side of the building in the picture) allows guests to peek at animals that meander beneath the house.

Visitors who come to SynVillan primarily do so for the views, whether that’s from the deck or through the large picture windows.

Interiors are quintessential Scandinavian modernism, with painted wood walls and natural wood furnishings.

Guests can awake to views of wildlife from the safety of their own bedrooms.