Three houses of the {tag:pracownie} project are under construction in the small village of Radomice near the Bóbr Valley Landscape Park. The buildings, placed on a steeply sloping plot, bring to mind stones scattered in the landscape, coming from a nearby quarry.
The investors wanted houses that would blend in with the landscape
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As part of the project, architect Rafal Oleksik designed a single-family house and two smaller bungalows, all three on a square plan. Thanks to this treatment, the diagonal ridge makes it possible to create sufficient height on the mezzanines in each of the buildings. In this way the author obtained the effect of a set of identical forms, differing from each other only in size. The facade materials used in the project are carved stone and Siberian larch planks, which harmonize with the surrounding landscape. With the placement of the buildings on a plot with a steep south-facing slope, proper layout was important. As a result, each house offers a panoramic view of the Giant Mountains.
host house, first floor plan
© SAN Architektura
On the west side, the architect proposed two cottages of thirty-five square meters. On the other hand, a large farmhouse is being built on the southeast side. When planning the functional layout of the building, it was important to make maximum use of the existing slope of the land. The main entrance to the building is located at the level of the living area, where the architect envisaged an open living room with a kitchen passing into a spacious terrace. The night zone was planned on a mezzanine floor. There will also be a basement connected to the orangery and a terrace in the arcade of the house.
The project also includes an orangery
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Dobrawa Bies: What were the assumptions and design inspirations?
Rafal Oleksik: I began work on the project with a site visit. I had already had the pleasure of designing a similar set of buildings in the area, so I knew the area. From the local inspection, I learned that a disused quarry was located near the investor's plot. The idea came to me to refer to this unique location in the design and to take advantage of the fact that the plot is located on a steep slope with an amazing view of the Karkonosze Mountains. I placed the building blocks on the site so that they gave the impression of freely scattered boulders. The houses still had to be given form. After a lot of analysis, a traditional lump in the style of a modern barn was not an option. Consistently retaining the idea of creating "scattered stones," I gave them a similar form through a diagonal ridge and a square plan.
The buildings give the impression of freely scattered boulders
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Dobrawa: The houses have an unusual form - they resemble hewn cubes inscribed in the landscape. Was it easy to convince investors of such an unusual solution? What requirements did they set before you?
Rafał Oleksik: Investors were initially surprised by the form of the buildings. They expected traditional houses in the style of a modern barn. Over time, however, they became convinced by the idea due to the landscape character of the investment and the reference to the neighborhood. They wanted to create an ensemble of buildings that would blend in well with the landscape and create a home with open yet cozy spaces. The proposed form also became convincing to them in terms of reflecting it in the functional layout of the houses, giving an appropriate mezzanine height where it is most desirable. Also important in the design was the exposure of the view of the Giant Mountains through the use of panoramic windows framing the view of the mountains.
The materials on the facade transition into the roof finish
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Dobrawa: Please tell us about the materials used and the technical solutions.
Rafal Oleksik: The summer houses were designed using HBE technology, which allows for quick construction. The host house was envisioned in traditional brick technology. In the design, I wanted the whole project to be consistent, with the materials on the facade transitioning into the roof finish. There was an idea to use Siberian larch, the most durable wood for the facade. This material will begin to patina over time under the influence of the sun's rays, which in the case of this project will be a desirable effect. The gray wood on the facade and roof will make the whole thing cohesive and relate to the main theme of the stones. The project also includes a semistructured orangery.
Dobrawa: Thank you for the interview!
Dobrawa Bies
