On the neighbouring plot, right next to a modernist holiday home from the 1960s, its contemporary relative has sprung up – a small but distinctive building designed by the Krakow-based Vostok studio. The new summer house does not attempt to imitate its predecessor, but engages in a subtle dialogue with it, drawing on family history and the local landscape. It is architecture that combines memory with the present, while creating its own very clear narrative.
The investor and author of the interior design is Natalia Horak, who was inspired to create the holiday home by her family history.
In the 1960s, my grandmother Alicja commissioned a bold design for a summer cottage, the structure of which is based on two piles supporting a concrete terrace slab. The cottage, which was very revolutionary for its time, seemed to tower over the surrounding area. I spent my childhood in this cottage. I decided to build a cottage on the plot next door that would correspond with my grandmother’s ,” admits Natalia Horak.
The first of the cottages was a structural manifesto for its time. Set on two piles, with a concrete terrace slab protruding over the slope, it gave the impression of being suspended in the air. For the granddaughter who spent her childhood there, it became a place that shaped her sensitivity and imagination.
The new house is only 69 square metres, but its form is extremely evocative. The architects from Vostok proposed a structure with a characteristic, soft curvature of the roof, which gives the whole a lightness. The large glazing of the living room opens the interior to the surroundings, and the extended floor of the ground floor flows smoothly into the terrace, creating a single, coherent usable space. This solution makes the house – although compact – seem much larger, and the boundary between the interior and nature almost disappears.
The materials were selected with the local context and harmony with nature in mind. Larch, sourced from nearby forests, gives the façade a warm, noble tone. River stone from a nearby stream introduces texture and weight that balances the lightness of the wooden structure. Inside, the house is enveloped in light plywood veneered with American maple – a material with a delicate shade that subtly corresponds to the pink glow of larch. This is a conscious choice that allows the interior to retain its freshness while creating a coherent dialogue with the outer layer of the building.
The central element of the living area is the ash staircase leading to the first floor. Its design and proportions emphasise the stone wall, creating an almost sculptural composition. The same wood was used to make the custom-made kitchen furniture and the railing designed especially for this house – details that testify to the care taken with every centimetre of space.
However, it is the location that makes this cottage truly unique. Situated on a hill, it opens up to a panoramic view of the surrounding area. Carefully placed windows frame changing views: sometimes of the forest, sometimes of the meadow, and sometimes of the houses below. It is architecture that not only allows you to observe the landscape, but actually celebrates it. The house is suitable for year-round living, allowing you to experience the full cycle of nature – from morning mists to winter light reflecting off the snow.
architectural design: Vostok
interior design: Natalia Horak // Lessness
photos: Mood Authors
See also: Summer house | Single-family house | Krakow | Recommended | Wood | whiteMAD on Instagram
