House in Minino Settlement

Spatial and planning solution

A 0.35 acres plot located near southern border of Minino settlement. Transportation access is provided via Partizanskaya street from the north. From east and west the plot is blocked with a forest. There is a spectacular view to the valley to the south. The plot is currently empty and has a perceptible relief with a 2,5 meters lowering to the north-east direction. A designed house divides the plot to two principle areas: public and private. Thus the private area located on rising ground contains a standalone sauna, a playground, a gazebo, and a barbecue. A garden with a green hedge is located in public area.

A main spatial axis is a pentagonal staircase that links functional levels with 0,6 — 1,5 meters height difference, that enables to situate the building over the landscape and to provide an entrance from each side directly from the ground. A pentagon also underlines in a spatial solution of an eastern volume of the building. A compact basement contains technical rooms, laundry and wine-cellar. Access to the basement is provided by internal staircase as well as by the external one in a dibhole. The first level holds an entrance hall, 2 cars garage, joiner’s shop, gymnasium with a shower, and a single unit water closet. At the level of −1,050 meters there is a sewing workshop with an access to the garden and a storage.

Living, dining area and a summer terrace are at the +1,500 meters level. A kitchen is a bit higher (+2,400) split from the living area by the bar. All the bedrooms are on the +3.000 level. A common space turned to the second living room with a western sun and a fireplace in the middle of the staircase core. Children’s bedrooms are turned to the south and have a common balcony. Two of them equipped with entresols. A master bedroom is turned to the north and equipped with a cloakroom and a bathroom. The highest level of the house (+5,100) is a master office that is accessible via the main staircase and also directly from the bedroom. Exit to the roof is realized right from the office. The roof is equipped with a metal platforms for a solar cell panels, satellite antennas installation and for a roof maintenance. Platforms also enable to temporary install a telescope for astronomical observations. The most of the roof slopes have a south-western direction that increases a snow melting speed during springtime.

A functional division of the house to male and female zones underlines in a basis of a spatial solution. That is reflected in the interweaving of three contrast volumes: ‘stony bulwark’, ‘metal container’ and ‘wooden tape’ that covers a bedrooms-and-office space. The building is pierced by the pedestrian axis goes trough the entire plot from the north to the south and remains rough cobbled even in the interior.

Structural solution

Foundation is concrete on piles. Walls, overlaps and main staircase — reinforced concrete. Corner window, roof — metal framework. Finishing — natural stone over the efficient insulation, venthilated façade trimmed with rough wood and aluminum composite panels. The level 0,000 is equal to the finishing level of the entrance hall. (absolute height is 382,33 meters above sea level.)