Villa Hexa

From its perch atop a hill, Villa Hexa watches over Stocksund. Doesn’t it look like something out of a fairytale? Built in 1902, Villa Hexa, sometimes called Stockbyhus, is more than just a beautiful building. It’s a portal to a bygone era. Designed by architect R. L. Lindquist, Villa Hexa was originally commissioned by Carl Eduard von Horn. He led the Stockby AB, the sales company for the “Stocksund Villa Park”. The name “Hexa” is a bit of a mystery. Some say it’s because the villa resembles a spooky castle, a “häxa” in Swedish. However, a more likely explanation connects the name to the Greek word for six. This ties in with the original plot number, 36 (6×6). Von Horn owned several villas in the area, including Villa Skoga, Villa Skogsbo, and Villa Stocklycke. He likely built them on speculation. He lived in Stockby gård himself, which he called the “Norska villan”, or Norwegian Villa. He also occasionally resided at Villa Hexa. Lindquist designed Villa Hexa in a historicist style, with hints of Art Nouveau. It’s easy to see the medieval influences, with its turrets and towers. The three-story building, plus an attic and tower, boasts a brick frame and smooth, light yellow plastered facades. Look closely and you’ll see a wealth of decorative details: turels, dentils, stepped gables, balconies with wrought iron railings, various arches, and anchor plates. The foundation is built of rusticated natural stone, and the peaked roof is covered with two-toned tiles. Over the entrance and a glassed-in veranda, a cross vault stretches, supported by round pillars with cube capitals. Originally, the ground floor housed a salon, dining room, veranda, and kitchen with a serving passage. A central staircase winds its way through all floors, a unique feature of the house. In the 1930s, an extension was added to the southeast side. Later, in 1987, the villa was converted into a three-family dwelling. Today, owned by a housing association since 1989, Villa Hexa contains five apartments. The interior has been modernized over time. Though its role has changed, its unique charm remains.