PAINTER`S LAKE HOUSE
COMPETITION | LOCATION | TASKS & REQUIREMENTS | ON THE ROOTS | CUT THROUGH THE WOODS | TEAM
COMPETITION
The Painter's Lake House International Competition by BUILDNER sought designs for a future art residence located on the shore of Černostes Lake in one of Europe's greenest countries, Latvia. The project had to be a prime example of sustainability and one which respects its natural environment.
The original wooden house was once owned by two brothers who lived there with their families. The site owners were looking to transform it into a case of a sustainable environment that respects nature's basic principles. The new residence has to function as a temporary home and workshop for painters. It needs to replace the current building and accommodate two painters moving in with their families and living in the new house for three months. These artists will then vacate to make room for another two painters to replace them.
We came up with two concepts developed by two separate teams within the bureau. The Cut Through The Woods project has made it to the shortlist.
LOCATION
The competition site is located in Latgale, a historical region in eastern Latvia known as the land of a thousand lakes. Traditional Latvian architecture in the countryside and villages outside the country's main cities has long been constructed from wood. For centuries, Latvian villagers built their homes from timber that could be collected from nearby forests and covered them with thatch roofing.
The current location of the buildings – with the residential building parallel to the barn building and a closed courtyard – is typical of Latgale and Old Believers. The old buildings face the shore of Černostes Lake directly. Regular west and northwest winds from the lake are strong and cool in autumn, winter, and spring. The site's current layout, with the front yard facing south, allows for both a cooling breeze and warmth from the sun. As such, the south-facing front of the building is now popular for outdoor use, and a similar principle was recommended for the new solution.
TASKS & REQUIREMENTS
The jury was looking for projects that focus on eco-friendly and cost-effective building techniques, in keeping with Latvia's reputation as one of the greenest countries in Europe.
The key space of the building would be an inspiring painters' workshop that needs to be a versatile space that would offer plenty of natural light, with the option to be transformed from one large area to smaller, more private work zones if required. The residence would need to offer a balance of privacy and interaction so that both families could live together comfortably for a prolonged time.
Project proposals were required to be:
· A comfortable accommodation for all its occupants in all weather conditions – resistant to heat, cold, rain, snow, and wind ·
· An example of green building practices. Participants are tasked to create a space that will further encourage ecotourism in the region ·
· Low maintenance in terms of effort and costs ·
· An example of green building practices. Participants are tasked to create a space that will further encourage ecotourism in the region ·
· Low maintenance in terms of effort and costs ·
Protecting the bats:
During the summer, a rare bat species use the house roof as a resting place. Unfortunately, many such areas have recently begun disappearing due to modern construction methods, which limits the bats' access. Competition participants were recommended to consider roof design solutions that would be friendly to the local bat population, strengthening the design concept's integrity with nature.
CONCEPT 1. ON THE ROOTS
Architects: Slava Balbek, Kateryna Denysenko
3D artist: Nik K
Post production: Maryan Beresh
Creative copywriter: Kateryna Vasylevska
Project Manager: Tetiana Khuk
Project year: 2022
3D artist: Nik K
Post production: Maryan Beresh
Creative copywriter: Kateryna Vasylevska
Project Manager: Tetiana Khuk
Project year: 2022
Concept
The winds of time are strong – so are the roots.
The new form grows out of the old roots and the old foundation. Essentially minimalist, it fits into the natural flow of the local landscape. The building clings to the shore and cascades down to the water. There is a complete acceptance of the environment.
The roots run deep and witness history. In the course of natural evolution, they make their way to a new life. Life flows on.
Form creation
The main idea and the starting point is to preserve the existing foundation and its materials. We transform it into an additional terrace & cover it with garden plants, expanding the foundation and following the landform to create a comfortable and spacious residence for two families. The one-story building cascades down the shore naturally and offers its residents different options – one of the residential blocks is located higher to keep the lake view.
The layout
The plot's landform serves as a natural ramp so guests can freely move up and down the shore. The driveway and parking lot are located as close to the road as possible.
Residential blocks and a workshop face the lake. Imagine gazing at the lake that brings peace of mind and inspiration. The windows also offer the most picturesque views of the woodlands surrounding the residence. Two blocks are separated for personal space; the cut is designed as a see-through glass tambour with views of the lake and yard.
The placement of the building is thought out according to the sun and wind: the courtyard's walls cozily close the guests from the wind and provide cool shade on hot days. The solar panels are located on the southern sides of the roof for maximum efficiency.
Design
Despite the form, the barn's roof is designed without intervention in the natural ecosystem. Openings on its facade let the bats enter the attic and live under the sloped roof.
As for materials, The Main house and the Barn building's walls are finished with wooden panels taken from the existing building. So are the foundations – they are made of the original rubble stone.
The new Workshop building represents the changes provided by the flow of time. Connected with the main building by glass tambour, it differs from it. This block is built of a modern yet natural material – Hempcrete. It is a bio-composite made of hemp hurd, lime-based binder, and water.
Such minimalistic forms and simple materials, like the decisions, represent the gentle interaction of the modern, fast-paced world with an eternal nature.
CONCEPT 2. CUT THROUGH THE WOODS
Architects: Slava Balbek, Anastasiia Vinidiktova, Olena Dobrovolska
3D artist: Nik K
Post production: Maryan Beresh
Creative copywriter: Kateryna Vasylevska
Project Manager: Tetiana Khuk
Project year: 2022
3D artist: Nik K
Post production: Maryan Beresh
Creative copywriter: Kateryna Vasylevska
Project Manager: Tetiana Khuk
Project year: 2022
Concept
One day the lake's shore will become desolate – and something new will come into the picture.
Wooden buildings in Latvia have always been transformed – easy to build, easy to dismantle – and made historical architectural landscape fluid. This fleeting essence of time and space also touched natural landscapes. Now a new form is emerging from behind the trees.
We present a deconstructed version of the houses that stood on the shore for years. The traditional wooden roof arch is cut in half and transformed in connection to the buildings of the past. The ascetic shape cuts through the air. The lines are clean and bold; the architecture is dynamic – to match the complex terrain of this place, which runs down to the water's surface.
We divide the space of the residence in half, offering the guests of the residence personal space and privacy. The meeting takes place in the middle – united by a common purpose of stay, artists and their families meet on the territory of the studio overlooking the lake.
Admiring the beauty of the lakeshore, we present a form that stays in touch with the place's history – and starts a new chapter.
Form creation
Splitting the building into two parts contributes to its energy efficiency. The facades of both halves are equipped with matching sliding wooden shutters: if only one family stays in residence, the other half of the house closes, saving resources on heating and keeping the house warm in the winter. This solution contributes to a cleaner, absolutist form with reduced visual noise.
Green approach
The project, created in the land of a thousand lakes, cannot be anything but environmentally friendly. Solar panels will cover the resident's electricity consumption. We catch the shy Baltic sun by placing panels on the building's roof and the plot's south side for maximum efficiency.
We also recommend installing a vertical rainwater harvesting system integrated into the building's water supply system: the collected rainwater is stored in a tank and becomes drinkable after filtration.
Design
The walls are cut clean from old rubble trench foundations – the new form arises from the earth through buildings of the past. The visual pattern of the materials is collected from the lake's shore. We use the wood covering the old buildings' walls and wrap it around our minimalist forms. The ecological materials used in interior decor erase the sense of transition between the residence and the stunning scenery outside.
TEAM
