BLACK BOX HOUSE

Black Box house was designed for a young family of four members by PAO Architects. This house has been built in Vilnius, on the slope of the Neris River, in the context of impressive surroundings. An asset of this territory is a 10-kilometre distance from the city centre and the territory features a harmonious combination of the advantages of the city infrastructure and a wonderful landscape of the slopes of the Neris River which open up from the house as an excellent view. The house is
located in a densely-built territory dominated by low-rise architecture – 1-2 storey private houses. The land plot is perfectly oriented in terms of cardinal points, with the view of the river facing south-west, while the quarter with a road is situated in north-east.
We are delighted that, while implementing this project, we dealt with wonderful and brave clients who had clear preferences with regard to the layout of the house, but also allowed us to experiment. The clients wanted modern minimalistic architecture and light shapes stressing the advantages of their land plot. Following a discussion with the clients of their wishes and a thorough exploration of the territory, we proposed a one-storey concept of minimalistic form and size, with construction in parallel to the side of the land plot. The design of the house is characterised by rationality, where the main entrance, all auxiliary premises, bathrooms of parents and children as well as a walk-in wardrobe have been planned on the north side of the house, while a living-room, a dining-room, a kitchen and bedrooms are facing south-west with a view on the river. All residential rooms have exits into a covered terrace. During the summer, the roof console helps to regulate the microclimate in residential rooms and protects the rooms from direct sunlight, because the courtyard is illuminated 24/7.
In the northern part of the house, the same console of the roof has been designed to cover the main entrance from the rain. Since the northern part of the house has a view on the buildings of the quarter, we have planned mini green zones, which provide more privacy against the street. These zones also provide more contrast when the greenery plays with the finishing and lighting of the façade.
For the finishing of the façade, we used materials chosen according to the principle of contrast, therefore, the finishing of black and natural wood highlights the minimal form and provides an excellent contrast to the texture of a concrete fence.
In this project, we also focused on the details, for instance, a hidden gate and door of the garage as well as green terraces with holes in the roof. The façade is ventilated and covered with black-painted planks of Siberian Spruce in order to create an impression of Scandinavian minimalism and luxury.
For the interior, the concept of Scandinavian minimalism was selected, because the clients desired the interior to be light and clear.

ARCHITECTS: PAO Architects
LOCATION: Vilnius, LT
PHOTO BY: Leonas Garbačiauskas
SIZE: 2200 sq.ft.
COMPLETION YEAR : 2016
www.paoarchitects.com

BLACK BOX HOUSE, VILNIUS, LITHUANIA