A small single-family house inscribed in a forest landscape is a new project by {tag:pracownie}. The house, located in a recreational area by the Cedzyna lagoon near Kielce, was made entirely of ecological and energy-efficient materials. The realization was awarded in the 2020 Façade of the Year competition.
The house in Wola Kopcowa near Kielce was built on a plot of land with a significant slope, adjacent to a pine and beech forest. The main part of the building is the first floor with living and sleeping areas, while the underground floor conceals a garage and a utility area. The house was intended to be ecological, so the architects decided on a small, energy-efficient form, built with ecological materials and fitting well into the landscape. The project received an honorable mention in the Facade of the Year 2020 competition organized by Baumit. The jury appreciated the realization for the good, straightforward integration of the block into the surrounding nature - the structure of the forest, as well as for the skillful selection of the materials used, taking into account the climatic conditions in the forest.
materials used for construction take into account the climatic conditions prevailing in the forest
© MFA Architectural Office
Dobrawa Bies: What was the main inspiration for the project, what is the shape of the block derived from?
Włodzimierz Tracz: The inspiration came from nature. The plot is located near Kielce, in the picturesque green buffer zone of the Cedzyna Reservoir. The shape of the body of the building, the aesthetics adopted, the color scheme and the wood on the facade allowed the building to blend into the background of the forest.
Dobrawa: What was your priority in this project?
Wlodzimierz Tracz: The priority was to fit the building into the landscape and to respect the site and the existing greenery. We tried to situate the building on the plot in such a way that no trees had to be cut down. It was also a challenge to take advantage of the plot's steep slope and to use the underground floor for utility purposes.
The building is designed taking into account the most favorable location, layout of rooms and glazing in relation to the world sides
© MFA Architectural Office
Dobrawa: What were the expectations of the investors?
Wlodzimierz Tracz: The house was to be ecological - that is, small, one that does not require a lot of material, labor and energy. The house itself was to be built with ecological materials, it was to be simple and energy-efficient. The building is designed with the most favorable location, layout of rooms and glazing in relation to the world sides, has very good thermal parameters of walls, ceilings, windows and roof, and is heated with a heat pump.
The house is simple and energy-efficient
© MFA Architectural Office
Dobrawa: What caused the greatest design difficulties, and what are you most satisfied with?
Wlodzimierz Tracz: It took some time to decide on the construction technology of the house. According to the ecological assumptions of the house, the natural choice seemed to be wood, timber frame, but due to the tall pine trees on the plot, and the risk of them falling over, we had to replace the structure with a traditional one, and even strengthen the roof structure. What are we satisfied with? We feel that we managed not to spoil the landscape.
Dobrawa Bies: Thank you for the interview!
