House
The house is built on a sloped terrain in a north-south direction. The total incline is 15 meters of elevation change over 100 metres of distance. A road connecting the surrounding municipalities runs along the northern boundary of the property.
The position of the house stems from the shape of the terrain and the accessibility of the lot from the north. However, it is mainly defined by the position of the existing trees. It takes advantage of the quality of the environment created by the full-grown trees. Also, the selected elevation of the house provides the best views of the countryside and skyline. The southern half of the property is occupied by a meadow.
The house does not exceed the neighbouring houses in height. Its roof is accessible from the ground. When looking from the upper boundary of the property, only the green roof surfaces, seamlessly copying the north slope, can be seen.
The client plans to use the house seasonally within the extended family. The house is divided into two autonomous parts: a larger two-storey part, and an adjacent elevated single-storey part. The space that is thus created in the south-western part is used as an outdoor area with terraces. A place where the family meets.
The glazed facades visually connect the interior with the exterior and provide a panoramic view of the surrounding countryside. Mature oak trees naturally shade the terraces and the facade from direct sunlight coming from the southwest, while preserving the intimacy of the space.
Layout
The main entrance is at the first floor level (2nd level above ground). Next to the entrance, there is a staircase leading to the smaller autonomous part of the house with one room, a kitchenette and a bathroom. There is a direct access to the outdoor terrace from the room.
In the entrance floor, there are three bedrooms for the family members, a bathroom and a sauna. A staircase leads from the bedroom floor to the ground floor – into the main living room with a kitchen and a dining area. A large glass surface of the south and west facades connects the space with the outdoor terrace. The northern part of the ground floor houses the pantry, toilet and utility room.
Building solutions
The house is a single-leaf masonry construction with thermal insulation and plaster. The western facade has wooden cladding made of larch lathes. Some of the perimeter walls are made of reinforced concrete, consisting of permanent shuttering blocks. The ceilings are made of ceramics and reinforced concrete. The flat roof is green, an extensive part of it is covered by a terrace made of larch planks. The house is built on a continuous footing. The upper part of the foundation is composed of concrete walls anchored in permanent shuttering blocks.
