Amidst the picturesque landscapes of Wielkopolska's Land of a Hundred Lakes, a project is being developed by the rmk.architektura studio, which took advantage of the qualities of the surroundings to create a house designed for weekend getaways. The undulating topography of the terrain and wide view openings are reflected in the unusual body of the building - the first floor is on two heights, and from the mezzanine you can observe the sheep grazing in the area.
The body of the house is a combination of the volume of the first floor and the mezzanine floor
© rmk.architektura
The task of the architects from rmk.architektura was to create a house serving the investors as a place of recreation, making optimal use of the qualities of the surroundings, as well as fitting into a reasonable budget. The plot of land with wide view openings and the topography of the area characterized by significant undulations gave the architects a number of design possibilities, which were reflected in the body of the house under construction.
On the east side, the building is bordered by extensive pastures, which became the inspiration for the organization of the interior. The living room and master bedroom have been equipped with the largest windows, so as to maximize their connection with the surroundings. The specific body of the house is the result of combining the volume of the effective interior of the first floor and the mezzanine located on the first floor, which offers a view of the sheep grazing nearby, says architect Roderyk Milik.
The house is surrounded by sheep pastures
© rmk.architecture
The first floor is at two heights, so that the building's levels match the adjacent terrain. The entrance was designed from the north side, located in the entrance zone to the plot. The block also includes space for storage rooms for gardening equipment and bicycles - one of them is even high enough to store SUP boards. The dark colors of the facade made of trapezoidal metal sheets create a background for the surrounding vegetation. In the interiors, the architects used hardwood plywood, which illuminates the rooms by reflecting natural sunlight.
The dark trapezoidal metal facade is a backdrop for the surrounding vegetation
© rmk.architecture
interview with Roderik Milik
Dobrawa Bies: The house has an unusual form and a strong color of the facade - viewed from different sides, it looks different every time. What were the assumptions and design inspirations?
Roderik Milik: First of all, the terrain and the view. Undulating terrain and a sheep pasture behind the fence. We wanted to orient the massing towards the key strengths of the plot's location. The plot is higher than the neighborhood to the east, which naturally encouraged locating the mezzanine bedroom in that direction. The investor could have chosen another location on one of the nearby lakes, but a morning wake-up with such a view is not offered by any plot in the area. It is worth mentioning that the building was designed on the site of a small Brda-type summer house, also the interference with the existing terrain will be minimal. On the other hand, new owners were found for the old building, who moved it to another location. In this way, it was possible to relieve some of the burden on the planet and not produce additional waste.
The distinctive form is the result of combining the mezzanine block with the first floor form of the building. We extended the part of the building with the additional bedroom slightly beyond the outline, so that it too offers a view of the pasture and the vast, undulating meadows. The color scheme is to harmonize well with the surrounding greenery, the uniformity of the facade coating is to emphasize the "solidity" of the building.
The first floor is on two levels, and the mezzanine floor houses a bedroom
© rmk.architecture
Dobrawa: For whom was the house designed? Did the investors set any special requirements for you?
Roderyk: The house is to be a place for weekend get aways and a base for active recreation taking advantage of the charms of the surroundings. Greater Poland's Land of a Hundred Lakes has these charms in abundance indeed. Investors spend their free time on bicycles or SUP boards, hence the body of the building includes a utility room with a raised height to accommodate also long boards for swimming. The house was intended to be suitable for two people as well as the whole family. Provide intimacy and intimacy. Not to dazzle with unnecessary additions, to focus on simplicity, and to be engaging where the value lies - the view and the terrace area. In addition, we designed the first floor of the building on two levels, so that its profile followed the slope of the land. Such a procedure also optimized the volume of the interior, which has the right scale and proportions.
The architects focused on a simple form and view openings
© rmk.architecture
Dobrawa: What materials were used and how did their choice affect the form of the building?
Roderick: Timber frame construction, trapezoidal sheet metal exterior and standing seam metal roof. We focused on the proper selection of the sheet profile so that it visually emphasized the verticality of the facade at its highest points. The material was intended to be simple and easy to install. In the interiors we plan simplicity - plywood and sheet metal accents, the detailed interior design is yet to come.
Dobrawa: The biggest challenge and the biggest source of pride is?
Roderick: Definitely the trust of our investors - they entrusted our young studio with an interesting topic, giving us a wide range of possibilities to work with, relying on our choices and talent. We thank them for their understanding and super contact and confirmation that we have fulfilled their hopes :)
Dobrawa: Thank you for the interview.
