Johan Paju, founder and Partner
Landscape Architect, LAR/MSA
+46 705 377 177
johan@paju.se
Maria Gudmundsson Paju, Partner
Architect, SAR/MSA
+46 703 59 1774
maria@paju.se
Johan Paju heads the project for KTH-A Masterstudents dealing with questions about landscape and reminicences from history. How to deal with the past Soviet Occupation in the former Swedish Costal areas of Estonia. This was a cooperation with the Municipality of Noarootsi in sept 2012. See the news on EstonianTV:
Strategy for how to activate the Swedish national parks. Our proposal was about focusing on the landscape through the impact of architecture. How to use the architecture as a lens by which you can see and understand the surroundings.
A master plan for 20 single-family houses in an untouched area on the west coast of Gotland. The area consisted of only plain rocks and 200-300 years old pine trees. We used the existing qualities of the site and developed an introvert house topology that didn’t privatize or destroy any parts of the site.
Participation in a garden show located in an old English landscape park outside of Stockholm. Our concept was to create a landscape garden working with the site that we were given, exploring the full potential of the site. We weaved between the tree trunks and created a canopy, forming an intense space underneath.
A concept for a new water node in central Stockholm. The site has good connectivity and could become an important node of the waterways. In this proposal we created a bridge for pedestrians connecting two neighborhoods working as new public domain and a big green area for social activities and water storage.
A multi-use cultural center situated in a very expressive landscape with bare rocks and old pine trees. The building consists of three long houses, connected to create spaces within. As they are pushed down into the ground unifying with the horizon, they form a relief of the landscape.
Johan Paju is one of the responsible teachers for the Master's program at KTH School of Architecture, Architecture and Landscape Design Studio. For more information and downloads go to kth.se
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A residential landscape on the west coast of Sweden. The site is situated in a rocky terrain by an old fishing village that is to be converted into a housing area. In this project we tried to mimic the rocks when working with the buildings so they would merge with the surrounding landscape. We created valleys and common green with local plants and resources that could adjust in this extreme climate. Adaptation of site.
A private garden in Stockholm’s archipelago. In this project we picked out a few spots were we could keep the significance of the sky, the pines and the bare cliffs. It became small interventions in the original landscape. The material we used was hand picked at the site just ordered, polished and rearranged.
A city park in a new sustainable development for app. 1000 inhabitants. We started this project by introducing the park so it could progress during the construction time merging with the new development. By connecting natural systems and preserve natural resources we conceived: water management, preservation of farmlands, wild life corridors, biological and social habitats. The park will work as an internal communication for people, animals and natural processes. Organizing the building units around it.
We were commissioned by Derome, a housing company, to create a showpiece garden for a new housing concept. The idea was to show how we could plug in natural systems and be netto producers of energy in our everyday life. Single-family houses are everywhere. How can we connect them without reducing existing qualities of the landscape? The strategy is about a long-term social as well as natural sustainability.
Photo by Åke E:son Lidman
A rooftop park in the center of Stockholm. An area of 3500 m2 will be recreated as a biological platform that can serve both social and ecological functions. In this project we worked with three layers: a base of extreme natures inspired by the dry hillside biotopes, a floating wood deck and add-ons to conceive wind shelter and habitats for insects and birds.
In Stockholm at the Elite Hotel Arcadia it happened. A silhouette of a cloud created spaces for people to enjoy. The ground is covered by carrarra marble gravel and white curved steel frames, connected to create spaces within.
A private garden located by the waterside near Gothenburg. The building is star shaped forming 5 voids on the exterior where we have created different expressive landscape gardens. These emphasize the surroundings in divergent ways: the white garden, the black garden, the rock garden and the magnolia garden…
The dark was flipped to light. Everything was painted white. Then it started to grow.
More to come...
A square in Gothenburg situated by Kvillebäcken’s new market hall. The intention with the project is to create a new urban node, a public space in front of the market hall. A place with it’s own identity. A place where different paths connect. The paving is made out of local stones in 49 different configurations.
The landscape reveals itself by working with it.
More to come...
A garden concept for a private villa in Särö on the west coast. We recreated and highlighted the landscape that is present on the site with only beach biotopes. The graphics of the design gives an optical illusion, the effect that the villa seems very near the sea and vice versa. With only 20 cm of gravel and 20 cm of sand we created locations for the different beach biotopes.
A development plan in Hemavan, Lappland. How can we combine architecture and landscape instead of adding things on top? In our proposal we suggested a topology that followed the heights and created a living landform. A building and infrastructure generated from the readings and understandings of the site – following the topography.
You need a handle to be able to identify the site.
More to come...
The objective was to create a master plan for 200 summerhouses in the surroundings of the southwestern Aegean coastland in Turkey. The site is located in natural sloping grassland. The basic structures for the new development are all about working with the existing, keep natural drainage/ flow, preserve native plant and save as much as possible during construction. The units were carefully placed and followed the topography.
Location: West Karup
Client: Private
Collaborator: NOD
Size: 0,2 ha
More to come...
We are always looking for talented collaborators for internship or job. We expect you to be engaged with good skills in both visualization and communication. Please send your portfolio as a pdf to info(at)paju(.)se
Two housing units close by a nature reserve just by the national river Vindelälven in Lappland. A desolated area where you have to go straight into the wild! The objective was to create a massive wood building not connected with anything except the landscape. Oriented with sun and wind in mind merging with the surroundings into a unified entity.
A garden concept for a private villa by John Pawson outside of Stockholm. The site is located in a dense area with no connection to the water. The idea was to recreate that connection by using local biotopes and resources. To see the bigger picture of it.
In our office we don’t use things that can be broken or be worn down in the long run. We focus on the two extremes: the long lasting resource of materials and the short span of life in temporary constructions. If you think of the stone pavement of Via Apia, you still can use it! It gets even more beautiful of the wear and tear of centuries. If you grow tired of the site, just move and reuse the material. If you on the other hand use as little as possible of resources, you can work with small and quick means. Go for locally grown wood. This is our attitude!
A plan for a new city park connected with a growing residential area located on an old airfield in Vienna. In this project we introduced a green spine that could merge with the urban fabric. In the process we conceived a social highway with paths and public spaces, giving the site a high connectivity. In the planning of the park we prescribed only to use cut and fill from the new development and to recreate natural biotopes and resources.
Visit:
Tyska Brinken 20
Gamla Stan Stockholm
Sweden
Post:
PAJU Arkitektur och Landskap AB
Tegnérgatan 57
11161 Stockholm
Sweden
Mail:
info@paju.se