The Swedish island of Gotland is a treasure trove of unusual homes, ranging from converted army bunkers to old train sheds. Among those on the market is this 1961 military garage, transformed by Imberg Arkitekter into a holiday retreat.

When husband and wife team Lotta and Henrik Imberg bought the building on the north-eastern peninsula of Furillen, it was a rickety shell, with no running water. After camping out in the house to experience the light, views and space, they set about transforming it into their own family vacation home.

‘We tried to change as little as possible, yet make it modern and spacious,’ says Henrik.

The duo replaced the building’s roof and restored its frame, while keeping interior alterations to a minimum, using just a few plywood partitions as room dividers. Concrete beams and floors are left exposed and walls are also clad in plywood.

‘We kept the concrete lower wall that was originally built as a bumper for the military vehicles,’ Henrik explains. ‘You can still see the numbers used to identify where vehicles would park.’

He and Lotta recently added a glazed facade to the building, to make the most of the views. ‘We used the old measures and door placements, but totally remade it with this facade/shelf/glass-system that allows you to see the ocean from every space in the house.’

The two-bedroom Rute Furilden 821 is on the market for 7 million SEK ($860,000) via ESNY.