Residential House in Utriai | Architectural Bureau G. Natkevicius & Partners

Modern, conceptualized residence for a young family of three, set in the beautiful lush of Minija valley.

Exceptionally designed architecture house attracts attention with its expressive form and sense of infinite freedom.

The plot on a slope with a panoramic postcard view of the valley is already a part of the architectural scenario. The location of the plot and the profession of the client (livestock products‘ selling) led the architects to improvise on the theme of Noah's Ark. Townspeople moving from the city to the village is like moving all the property and animals to Noah's ark. The building resembles a ship also due to the decoration of horizontal dark larch boards. The shape of the house and the picturesque wooden façade resemble a large log fireplace in the wild fields as well.

The special feature of this open spacious architecture is a 15 m long part slightly rising up into the air, sheltering two cars beneath it.

The large-area building consists of two elongated rectangular volumes connected at an angle of about 30 degrees, one of which gradually tears off the ground and hangs in the air like the bow of the ship. Its console uses a monolithic reinforced concrete construction. The end of the massive volume rising to the top is glazed with showcase windows, so this transparency creates the impression of lightness, harmonizing the composition of the building. At the same time, it is a spacious observation deck.

The first floor with large windows facing the river has been designed in the volume closer to the river. In the center there is a kitchen, from one side of which there is a living room and a dining room, and on the other side there is sauna area, small swimming pool and working room. The second suspended volume has a second floor with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The biggest bedroom is located in the glass "spike" of the ship. Physically separated communication and sleeping areas ideally isolate the bedrooms from the noise of the living room.

The interior is simple, open and spacious, with soft and neutral tones and a lovely view of the valley, while the sky is reflecting from the large windows.

Coziness in the interior is created by unconventional features such as exposed concrete walls and gray stone tiles. These dominating monochrome shades became as neutral background for author's furniture created by the customer's wife and for people living in the house.

Architects: R.Adomaitis, R.Babrauskas, G.Natkevicius

Project manager: T. Juras

Constuctor: V.P.Ciras