Author: URBANE IDEJE Year: 2020. (project); 2021. (realization) Area: 120m2 Location: Vrnjak, Samobor, Hrvatska (45.830695 N, 15.679563 E)
The „RD House“ is situated in the picturesque vineyard ambiance of the small village called Vrnjak, near the town of Samobor in Croatia. The cottage-style house combines basic traditional architectural forms (rectangular, slightly elongated layout under the steep-sloped roof of almost 45°); local materials (wood and clay tiles) with contemporary design concept empowered with aluminum and glass. The ground floor is designed as a single, unique space divided with the central staircase element in two basic functional zones – living area and food & dining area. Both of these zones are oriented on the large “screen-like” window wall offering truly breathtaking views on the forest and vineyard surrounding the house. Opposite to the ground floor spaces (which absorb all of the natural and man-made elements present on the location), the first floor spaces completely denies surroundings – connecting the one, through roof windows, with universal natural element – sky. The exterior experience of the house is based on three basic materials – clayed Wienerberger tiles of, both, the roof and (longer) facades - ; glass of the above-mentioned window wall and wood – which is showing in the form of gable walls; decked wooden terrace and the pergola above the part of it. The aluminum details and raw concrete down-side of the canopy just round out the desired look & feel and come as a cheery on the top. As the location itself isn’t equipped with the communal (utility) infrastructure (beside the electrical supply network connection) – a wide range of independent, sustainable solutions was applied in the terms of the water/sewage and HVAC design: from rainwater collector and biological wastewater treatment machine to heat-pump system, resulting in contemporary eco-friendly sustainable building. The construction of “RD House” was completed in the late winter of 2021, and instantly became architectural frame for “escape” – a place far away from the busy urban lifestyle, where one can stop, take a deep breath and truly connect with the nature and become integral part of it.
