Architect | Arches |
Location | Vilnius, Lithuania |
Area | 415 m2 (4467 sq.ft.) |
Photographs | Norbert Tukaj |
Just a few hundred meters from active city street and you can find yourself in exclusive surrounding of the park. Calm and harmony of nature. This sensation is enhanced by a natural valley, the old Raguva. Sunny slope of the valley. Outskirts. Place of the former wooden farmstead. Regional park territory. Regulated architectural solution. Territory limitations for architectural expression and clients vision to live in a contemporary house – these were the starting points.
The object is located in a sunny part of the slope next to the outskirts. It is designed in a former farmstead place. Existing slope and all valuable trees in the site are preserved. The idea of the building is to “hang“ it over the valley and open it to the valley by continuous windows. The ground floor is partly hidden in the slope. Due to the black shale finish, the ground floor disappears in outskirt shadow. Only the first floor volume, finished with natural wood, is exhibited. Laconic, sculptural form of volumes interprets the silhouette of a traditional sloped house. Divided volume, varying forms, human-scale proportions, glass and wood harmony create the impression of lightness.
Interior spaces follow forms of the volume. Integral natural wood finish of the facades and roof creates impression of form solidity. The volume with its materials and coloring flourishes in the forest and valley background. By dividing the volume, micro-spaces – courtyards are created. This is the building in nature. Therefore all main interior spaces have entrances into exterior spaces- courtyards. Courtyards are arranged in different levels, creating a sensation of wholeness and privacy, enabling to enjoy both morning and evening sun. The hanging volume of the first floor naturally creates the terrace. Windows of the ground floor are partly covered with the vertical wooden lamelles, they serve as protection from overheat and become a part of the interior. Surroundings are planted with grass, the path to the entrance is covered with granite tiles in order to minimize the intervention to nature. The plot is surrounded with the open work fence.
For building facades exclusively natural finishing materials were selected. The main finishing material is pinewood manufactured by “Kebony“ technology. Pine was selected as a typical tree for the surrounding. Using unique “Kebony“ technology wood becomes particularly resistant, stable, durable and there is no need for any additional maintenance. It is an ecological product and this becomes an important factor in regional park territory. Within time, pinewood grays and fits the environment even more by fading in the background of pine trunks.
Structural Engineer | Dainius Dubaka |