In Podlasie region, on a plot neighbouring a dense forest and surrounded by fields and pastures, architects from tu.studio designed a house that corresponds to the client’s new lifestyle, which developed during the pandemic. The need to move out of the city and to create space for both living and working was the biggest motivation to create this project.

The house is surrounded on all sides by vast fields and forest. Its interference with the landscape is as limited as possible. The natural slope on the plot was used to hide part of the building below ground level in order to give prominence to the ground floor and make the whole structure look as light as possible. The underground story is enclosed in a concrete retaining wall frame. The unique design of the garage door made it possible to achieve a coherent appearance of the facade.

The key priority was to treat the unique forest plot with due respect. The surface change was limited to only the necessary access roads. The rest of the plot remained wild and undisturbed. For structural reasons the foundation was designed as a reinforced concrete slab. In order to reduce to as little as possible the impact on nature, the form of the wooden decking is constructed so that plants of the forest are able to merge onto it and also small animals can move freely across it. No trees will be felled during construction. An extensive green roof system is used.

The materials used, such as wood and stone, both on the façade and in the interiors, allow the house to blend with the surroundings. The building is divided into two floors. The underground contains the garage, the utility area and the gym. The other living quarters, both common and private, are arranged on the ground floor. All this provides direct access to the terrace and offers a view of the meadow to the living area and all rooms. The main axes of the functional layout and the panoramic glazing frame the most interesting views. Thanks to a system of movable shutters, residents can create different levels of intimacy.