House at the edge of the forest
After a long tiring search through catalogs for their ideal home, a young family approached Papundekl architects with their vision. They found the layout of the catalog houses impractical and uneconomical. The basic task for the architects was a one-story barrier-free bungalow and a layout with a minimum amount of corridors, all with regard to low overall costs.
The architects placed the house in the center of a triangular plot of land at the foot of the Moravian-Silesian Beskydy Mountains. Along the northern boundary of the plot runs an important path to the Ondřejník mountain.
The answer to this defined brief is the concept of three small brick "blocks" with a rational layout. Three strictly defined volumes with different functions, between them, create a generous irregular living space. This shapes a specific spatial atmosphere of a small square, dominated by an adjacent kitchenette with a bar counter. The living and dining rooms are inhabited by wardrobes, a wood-burning stove, a workroom place, and a hallway. The space is connected to the garden as much as possible by large glass surfaces. Individual activities in the common area can be separated by a revolving bookcase and sliding doors. The common square can thus be flexibly changed according to the current needs of the family.
One of the authors Šimon Bierhanzl says: “The house is partially embedded in the ground and its overall shape, low height, the chosen extensive green roof, and natural character are integrated into the garden, which becomes an integral part of the house and vice versa.”
The basic blocks were designed by the architects in a simple structural and material design. They are made of standard insulated blocks on concrete foundations. The masonry is reinforced with a concrete structure and the ceiling is carried out by beams. The living room, hallway, and study area are covered by a timber ceiling creating a playful articulation based on the geometry of the basic blocks. The beams converge to a center above a concrete pillar in the kitchen.
After a year of use, the house is a home, an occasional workplace for a talented writer, and maybe most importantly a bridge to the garden and the nature around.
The family sums up its impression:
"PAPUNDEKL ARCHITECTS designed a house for us without unnecessary spaces, corridors, and deaf corners. It is a house in which each of us can find a refuge, but in which we never feel alone, because we are always within reach. One of the greatest pleasures is the view of the garden through the glass wall, where we often forget that we are inside and just enjoy the atmosphere of the different seasons. PAPUNDEKL ARCHITECTS designed a house for us that has definitely become more than just our house. It has become a home."
