On the slope, next to the lake rise two modern single-family houses by architects from {tag:pracownie}. The plot of land with a significant slope was quite a design challenge. The answer to this problem came in the form of an unusual solution - the architects swapped the arrangement of the night zone and the day zone, allowing residents to enjoy the view of the nearby lake.
The project of a complex of two single-family buildings in Bory Tucholskie located on the shoreline of a lake is not a typical realization. The plot with a southern entrance and a significant slope required a lot of design work from the architects. The authors assumed, a reversal of the typical distribution of the night and day zones. They placed the bedrooms in the -1 floor, and the living area on the 0 level, so that residents can enjoy a beautiful view of the nearby lake.
The living room overlooking the lake was located on a higher level
Photo: Jakub Nanowski, perspektywa.net.pl © MAKA.STUDIO
Through the use of natural, noble materials such as wood, stone and brick, the buildings blend in with the surroundings and complement them. At the entrance, the architects exposed only the fronts of the houses with an underground storey opening towards the lake, and thanks to the natural barrier of the terrain, the private zone of the gardens was separated.
design treatments
© MAKA.STUDIO
Dobrawa Bies: The sharp slope of the plot was undoubtedly a design challenge. What other difficulties did you have to face? You also applied an interesting procedure - reversing the night and day zones. What did the objects gain thanks to this?
MAKA.STUDIO: The investors came to us with a specific problem. How to reconcile a large slope of the site with an entrance from the south with a view from the north, and avoiding an obstacle below the site that obstructed the view? Thanks to the reversal of the living and night zones, the living room with a beautiful view of the lake panorama is located higher - in this way we bypassed the building and greenery that obstructed the view. The night zone hid in the slope under the extended part of the living room, which gave it a more private character - less visible from the lake shore.
Hiding the building in the slope made it possible to avoid over-scaling the block
Photo: Jakub Nanowski, perspecta.net.pl © MAKA.STUDIO
In addition, the layout of the windows strongly oriented to the southwest allowed for privacy, visually separating from the public part of the beach on the northeast side. The garage is also at the level of the living area (with the kitchen), which is an amenity for everyday life. The investors had to break with the traditional thinking of first floor - day, first floor - night, but after being presented with our concept, they had no doubt that such a treatment maximizes the potential of the site.
The architects decided to reverse the typical distribution of day and night zones
© MAKA.STUDIO
Dobrawa Bies: What were the design inspirations and what were the investors' requirements? What materials were used and how did they affect the perception of the buildings?
MAKA.STUDIO: The investors turned out to be very conscious clients, familiar with the world and architecture. They did not want the building to "pop up like a temple on a hill." They were afraid it would dominate the slope and the shore. We tried to draw inspiration from regional architecture. Sloping roofs, natural materials.
The project is a typical barn, but with elements of modernity and individualism
Photo: Jakub Nanowski, perspecta.net.pl © MAKA.STUDIO
A typical barn, but with elements of modernity and individualism. The context of the place and the large slope gave it character. Together we determined that the cladding must be timeless and elegant, so we opted for wood, brick and concrete cladding, which fit perfectly into the context. High-quality materials will allow the building to age nobly. Hiding the building in the slope allowed us to avoid scaling the mass. In the gable walls, we abandoned all-round glazing in the form of a triangle, in favor of a well-cropped view.
Dobrawa Bies: Thank you for the interview.
