It is an example of minimalist architecture set amidst greenery. The single-family house is located in the Wielkopolska region and was designed by architects Roderyk Milik and Mateusz Jóźwiak of the RMK.A studio.
The house is located in the picturesque area of Wielkopolska’s Land of a Hundred Lakes, with many hills, meadows, pastures and forests nearby. It is a place simply made for blissful relaxation, an escape from the hustle and bustle of big-city life. At first, the architects found a small Brda-type house there. This was the investors’ first house, which they handed over to the younger generation over the years. They wanted a larger building where they could stay for longer.
With the village surrounded by hills, the plot has wide view openings. The topography of the area is characterised by significant undulations, which gave rise to a number of design possibilities and were reflected in the body of the building.
The building fits in with the existing greenery, which has been planted on the plot by the Investors themselves for several years. On the eastern side, the building borders extensive pastures, fields and meadows, which became an inspiration for the organisation of the interior and the body of the building itself. The living room and the mezzanine have been fitted with the largest windows in order to maximise their relationship with the surroundings,” describe the authors of the project.
When designing the house, the architects focused on functionality. The shape of the house results from the combination of the volume of the effective interior of the ground floor and the mezzanine, which offers a view of the sheep grazing nearby. The ground floor was designed at two heights, so that the levels of the building fit into the adjacent terrain. A distinctive feature of the building is the piling up of a section of the block, which is visible from a distance.
The house was built using light timber-frame technology. The designers opted for minimalism in the façade and used trapezoidal sheet metal. The dark colours of the façade provide a background for the vegetation, and the vertical arrangement of the sheet metal creates an interesting articulation.
“The House by the Pasture” has characteristic glazing, larger – “landscape” glazing located in the mezzanine area and on the corner of the house – with exposure to the backyard greenery, and smaller “technical “glazing – framing the surroundings in a specific way, the project authors add.
The living area, bedroom and guest bathroom are located on the ground floor. A master bedroom was built on the mezzanine. At the interior design stage, a change was decided. Instead of a classic bed, a regular mattress was placed on the mezzanine. This provided more space for yoga and contemplation.
The bright interior of the building contrasts with the dark façade. The space is visually warmed by hardwood plywood. White walls and ceilings illuminate the rooms and reflect natural light. The majority of the building is kept in a subdued colour scheme and has only been broken up with colourful motifs in accents. This can be seen in the kitchen furniture, the lighting and the balustrade of the mezzanine, which is made of perforated metal. The building can be used not only in summer. On cold evenings, the householders often use the fireplace.
design: RMK.A – Roderyk Milik, Mateusz Jóźwiak
photos: Przemyslaw Turlej
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