DESIGN NAME: Villa A
PRIMARY FUNCTION: Residential House
INSPIRATION: We live in a global world, and creativity without borders is the new reality of our time. Therefore, everything that is made in Latvia must be created with a thought that it must be good enough for the world. The form, be it an important public building or a private house, makes no difference, since environment matters both on macro and micro levels.
UNIQUE PROPERTIES / PROJECT DESCRIPTION: A holiday home created with maximum respect for the unique relief of the ancient Gauja river valley in Latvia. The variation in levels has allowed position the building on the steep slope, creating a different view of the building from every angle.
The interior maintains the building’s ascetic image - here rough concrete plates and extensive glazing are dominant. A feeling of cosiness is generated by the natural oak surfaces and carefully designed elements.
OPERATION / FLOW / INTERACTION: -
PROJECT DURATION AND LOCATION: The house is located on ancient Gauja river valley in Latvia, specific location is confidential.
FITS BEST INTO CATEGORY: Interior Space and Exhibition Design
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PRODUCTION / REALIZATION TECHNOLOGY: The lowest level, which is invisible from the roadside, conceals leisure and sauna premises, which are adjoined by a wine cellar and a specious terrace with a swimming pool. One floor above - at level of the entrance of the building - is a large living room with a kitchen, fireplace and two guest bedrooms. Spanning 12 metres, the glazing facing the coppice can be opened, fully removing the partition between the indoor premises and nature.
The two floor high living room is encompassed by a concrete bridge from which one can access the private quarters of the house’s owner, i.e. his office or spacious bedroom, whose terrace offers a stunning view over the tree tops of the ancient Gauja river valley and the rays of the setting sun.
Despite the large plates of glass, we managed to implement low-energy principles in the building, thanks to its compact size, virtually secluded northern façade, and minimal exterior surface for reducing heat loss. In turn, the extensive glazing on the southern and western sides is designed to capture the sun. An additional contribution to the reduction of the building’s energy consumption is made by the solar thermal collectors on the roof.
The first two floors of the building have been made into massive reinforced concrete constructions. The thermal insulation positioned between two plates ensures the exposure of the concrete surfaces both indoors and outdoors. The third floor has been designed to be different - metal-framed openwork spanned by extensive glazing, ensuring a 270 degree panorama.
The interior maintains the building’s ascetic image - here rough concrete plates and extensive glazing are dominant. A feeling of cosiness is generated by the natural oak surfaces and carefully designed elements such as the fireplace slab and the ornamental metal stairs. The combination of inbuilt lighting fixtures, concealed within and hanging from the surfaces, offers countless lighting scenarios, which can even be easily controlled by smartphone, thanks to the application of smart house principles.
SPECIFICATIONS / TECHNICAL PROPERTIES: House size 280 m2
TAGS: Latvian design, smart house, holiday home, natural materials
RESEARCH ABSTRACT: -
CHALLENGE: -
ADDED DATE: 2018-05-27 13:30:42
TEAM MEMBERS (3) : Interior design: Lolot Design / Santa Meikulāne, project assistant Zane Kubiloviča, and Architecture: OUTOFBOX / Pēteris Bajārs, Toms Loris
IMAGE CREDITS: Photo by Maris Locmelis
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