Near Poznań, there is a holiday home designed with the conscious use of the unique conditions of the plot in mind. The plot, with its unusual proportions – narrow, long and sloping towards the south – opens up to a vast view of Lake Strzeszyńskie. In its central part, there is a stately pine tree, whose presence became one of the key design assumptions, influencing the layout and form of the building. The building was designed by architects from the boaa studio. Their concept won the Wielkopolska Province Architectural Award in the Single-Family House category.
The architects treated the trees as a natural point of organisation for the space. It was around this tree that the layout of two single-storey structures was shaped, shifted in relation to each other in order to preserve the existing vegetation and at the same time fit in with the rhythm of the neighbouring buildings. The house was designed for a family of four, with summer holidays in mind, but also for year-round use. In order to maximise the potential of the narrow plot, the side walls were left without openings, which allowed the building to be moved closer to the plot boundaries and opened up towards the lake. This makes it a great place to spend cold winter evenings.
The interior is divided into two distinct zones. The bedroom area, designed to be quiet and intimate, comprises three spacious rooms, two bathrooms and an entrance hall. The most privileged is the master bedroom, facing south and equipped with a private terrace, sheltered from the rain and the gaze of neighbours. The second part of the house — the living area — was conceived as a common space, open and conducive to integration. The living room, kitchen and dining room form a single fluid whole, naturally extended by a spacious, covered terrace.
The terrace is one of the most characteristic elements of the building. Designed as a rectangular frame, it frames the view of the lake like a film frame. On one side, it houses storage facilities, and on the other, an openwork wooden structure set at a 45-degree angle, which ensures privacy without obstructing the view of the landscape. To give the structure a sense of lightness, the terrace section was raised on pillars, allowing the natural slope of the terrain to smoothly guide the eye towards the water.
Although the holiday home looks modern and light, its design was created with great attention to the economics of construction and subsequent operation. The use of a prefabricated frame structure reduced construction time, limited wet work and minimised waste. The choice of a local contractor reduced transport costs and the carbon footprint, and the division of the building into two smaller structures made it possible to reduce the span of the roof truss, which translated into lower construction costs.
One of the key assumptions was the use of a uniform material on the roof and facades. Black bitumen shingles proved to be not only an aesthetic solution, but also an economical and quick to install one. A detail of a non-eaves connection between the roof and the façade was also developed, thanks to which traditional guttering was abandoned — water flows freely down the surface of the building, which simplified the construction and reduced costs. Large glazed areas feature light grey PVC-framed windows, and the largest, almost seven-metre-wide opening in the living room has been divided into three parts, combining functionality with budget optimisation.
The house was designed with energy efficiency in mind. Very good insulation and large south-facing roof overhangs protect the interior from overheating, while allowing natural light and views to be enjoyed. The whole creates a well-thought-out, harmonious composition in which the architecture does not compete with the landscape, but becomes its natural extension.
design: boaa: Michał Bekas, Eryk Szczepański
Building data:
– usable area: 94.1 sq m
– terrace area: 30.2 sq m
– plot area: 874 sq m
photos: MoizStudio
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