At First, Their Home’s Plan Didn’t Fit Into the Forest—So They Wove It Between the Trees

The glass-walled residence snakes across the plot to connect with the surrounding woods in unexpected ways.

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Project Details: 

Location: Poznan, Poland

Architect: PL.ARCHITEKCI / @pl.architekci

Footprint: 5,704 square feet 

Structural Engineer: BSD Pracownia Projektowa

Photographer: Tom Kurek / @tomkurek.co

From the Architect: "S House is a minimalist house living in symbiosis with its surroundings. Its shape was created as a result of inscribing a rich functional layout in such a way as not to cut down a single tree. During our first visit to the site, we felt this house had to be a simple, glazed pavilion open to a beautiful garden. The problem arose when the complex functional program did not fit into the imagined cuboid in the area where development is permitted. From this came the idea to ‘squeeze’ this cuboid by twisting it in two places.

"The house winds between the trees, giving the residents almost direct contact with the surroundings. Its simple and monochromatic shape is like a large garden sculpture.

"This house (its architecture and interiors) was designed from the very beginning as a place of silence and contemplation: of nature and art. The minimalist approach is visible in the sparing choice of materials, colors, and art. White resin floors blend seamlessly with the concrete band around the building. The omnipresent whiteness has been broken by dark brown oak-veneered structures."

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Grace Bernard
Grace Bernard is a freelance writer and editorial strategist based in Los Angeles where she covers architecture, design, culture, and travel. Reach out: www.gracebernard.com

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