RDO 住宅丨斯洛伐克丨Čechvala Architects

Architects:Čechvala Architects

Area:267m²

Year:2024

Photographs:Alex Shoots Buildings

Manufacturers:Reynaers Aluminium

Project Team:Čechvala Architects

City:Záhorská Bystrica

Country:Slovakia

Text description provided by the architects. Concept - The RDO family house is situated in the southwestern part of the residential zone Záhorské Sady, characterized by dense development and a lack of privacy. The client’s primary requirement was to ensure maximum privacy while incorporating a mature oak tree located near the center of the plot. The house design addresses these needs through a thoughtful layout that balances seclusion with openness. The plot, with its relatively regular shape, is bordered on three sides by neighboring properties. The fourth side opens to a quiet local road that leads to the Malé Karpaty hills. These conditions, coupled with the terrain's natural features, influenced the house's placement and design.

The house features a dual approach to its surroundings: it is enclosed and private facing the neighbors, while open and inviting within the atrium. Solid walls and terrain notches shield the house from the adjacent plots, creating a serene living environment. Conversely, the interior atrium, a key design element, serves as a central, open space for family life. This area is covered by a cantilevered roof that extends 1.5 meters, providing a sheltered outdoor space usable throughout the year. A reinforced concrete arcade, part of the atrium, connects to a summer kitchen with outdoor seating, enhancing the home's functionality. Skylights strategically placed throughout the house ensure ample natural light, enhancing the indoor atmosphere while maintaining privacy from neighboring properties.

Space Plan - The house’s entrance is situated at the southern corner of the plot. A spacious vestibule leads to an exterior staircase that provides direct access to the atrium without entering the main house. This design allows for a smooth transition between indoor and outdoor spaces. On the entrance level, the layout includes a garage and a foyer, from which a staircase ascends to the main living area. A large window in this foyer frames a view of the central atrium, highlighting the mature oak tree that anchors the space. The main living floor positioned one level below, offers enhanced privacy. This floor includes a fitness room with a sauna and shower, as well as a utility room and a guest toilet, all accessible from the entrance hallway. A communication axis along the atrium's glass wall connects to the living area, which comprises a kitchen with adjacent food storage, a dining room, and a living room. This open-plan day zone integrates seamlessly with the atrium and a ground-level terrace, ensuring abundant daylight throughout the day, further enhanced by the previously mentioned skylights.

The night zone of the house is situated beyond the main communication axis. It features the master bedroom, positioned to overlook the notched terrace slope, with no windows facing neighboring properties to ensure privacy. The corridor leading to the children’s rooms is illuminated by skylights on the roof. This corridor also provides access to the bathroom and a separate toilet. Both children’s rooms open directly to the atrium, fostering a familial atmosphere. The atrium area is complemented by an arcade that includes a summer kitchen. Additionally, a cellar located under the southern entrance area provides storage for gardening supplies. The house is crowned by an intensive green roof, accessed via a ladder on the northwestern facade, which enhances the building’s integration with its environment and completes the entrance view.

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