The house gazing at the lake
PROGRAM ︎ Single-family house
CLIENT ︎ George and Valentina
SITE ︎ Valea Adâncă, jud. Iași, România
SURFACE ︎ 125 mp
STATUS ︎ In progress | 2020
DESIGN TEAM ︎
ARCHITECTURE ︎ APLUSNOIMA︎ Alina Andriescu, Alexandra Berdan, Ștefania Borș, Ancuța Costandache
STRUCTURE ︎ ATELIER STRUCTURA ︎ Andrei BOBU
TEXT ︎ Alina Andriescu, Oana Filip, Alexandra Berdan
“I imagine a space with a timeless and welcoming chromatic and structure, modern and simple. I would like small details to show our personality or the things we care about. I would like the ceiling of a room - living room or attic - to have wooden beams, to have the feeling I had on holiday mornings when I woke up at my grandparents and at that moment I did not know exactly if I was at home or elsewhere. The beams instantly reminded me of where I was and they made me very happy - they were the sign I was on a holiday. ” - Valentina
site plan︎
George and Valentina did a lot of imagination exercises about their house. They gathered in the same story memories from when they were children, experiences of adulthood, events that left their mark on them. Our job was to link them in an ideal scenario.
From their narrative and our desire to make architecture with meaning came the House gazing at the lake, a place where the family will continue to build memories and stories of all kinds.
On a small plot of land, with not exactly the most “friendly” neighbours, their house raises its "eyes" to the lake, to the sun and to its own yard. In order to have the best chance at privacy and discretion, the house moves as far away from the street as possible to make room for the garden. Equally, it avoids the hum and the "looks" of the neighbours. This led to a large enough yard in relation to the built area, ready to host all kinds of events.
On a small plot of land, with not exactly the most “friendly” neighbours, their house raises its "eyes" to the lake, to the sun and to its own yard. In order to have the best chance at privacy and discretion, the house moves as far away from the street as possible to make room for the garden. Equally, it avoids the hum and the "looks" of the neighbours. This led to a large enough yard in relation to the built area, ready to host all kinds of events.
︎︎︎concept diagram
The shape is predominantly classic, with a gabled roof, built symmetrically, but with discreet gestures. In this way, it distinguishes itself from the surrounding buildings and subtly indicates the universe created inside.
The finishes of the House with lake eyes are as simple and authentic as possible, made with natural finishes and neutral colors.
All living spaces are oriented to the south and technical spaces to the north.
All living spaces are oriented to the south and technical spaces to the north.
axonometry︎︎︎
Groundfloor
First Floor
Attic
On the ground floor, the rectangular volume extends to the south, followed by the terrace, as an extension of the living spaces and a direct connection with the garden.
The access to the house is made on the eastern side, through a discreet drop, which completes the series of gestures brought to the volume.
The sleeping area, with upstairs bedrooms and attic, communicates with the outside through the loggias, which serve as lookout points to the garden and lake.
exploded axonometry ︎︎︎
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The entrance
offers an experience in itself through a vertical atrium, which facilitates communication with the first floor and brings light to the most "northern" points of the house.
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The living area
is the most generous in the house, precisely because it is the main place for spending free time and implicitly it is the area where people from extended family and friends are welcomed. The fact that it has a direct opening to the terrace can only offer more space and a better connection with the garden.
The kitchen
also benefits from the opening to the outside and is extended by a dining area, perfect for sunny summer mornings, where the family wants to live them at a slower pace.
The dining room,
designed as a multifunctional space, looks at the living room through a piece of furniture that will be used as dishware storage and library. The table can accommodate both children who will do their homework, but also festive dinners and anniversaries with loved ones.The office
is a work space, secluded from the hustle and bustle of the house, but also a guest room for visitors who will stay overnight. Subsequently, it can serve as a permanent bedroom for the owners when they get older to facilitate the use of the house without hindrance.
The two bedrooms
on the first floor will belong to the children, arranged symmetrically to the atrium, where they will have enough room to play, but can be easily adapted to a variety of changing needs.The attic
is entirely dedicated to parents, where they will have their own en-suite. Next to the bed, the attic windows bring the sky just "above" their heads. The spacious bedroom is bathed in light from the south, and a loggia-terrace offers them the opportunity to enjoy the surroundings.
The atmosphere we built is in line with what it means at home for George and Valentina. Through clear gestures of architecture, meaningful details and a lot of common sense, The house gazing at the lake acquires personality and invites to discovery: “small things that would not be noticed immediately and would not attract attention, but would outline only a welcoming space. ”
