Several years ago, in the near Moscow region, on a picturesque site surrounded by a dense pine forest, a house made of natural stone and dark wood was built according to the project of the workshop of Roman Leonidov. A little later, its owners - people accustomed to an active lifestyle and communication, decided to build a separate smaller house for their many guests. Taking into account the successful experience of previous cooperation, they turned to the same architects - Roman and Anastasia Leonidov.
The guest house was named forester shack, a forest hut, although it is not so small, its area is 265 m2, which, however, is approximately seven times smaller than the main, master's villa (1892 m2). The "hut" is located at a distance, on a well-lit clearing of a pine forest, and in such a way that from the main house it is almost invisible for the trees. Although the architecture has something in common, it inherits the main themes set earlier: it is also built on the contrast of a stone "fur coat", dark wood and glass. But the guest house is stricter. In any case, in contrast to the main house, which embraces its courtyard with a semicircle of terraces with rows of thin round supports, similar to porticoes, but here all the lines are straight, rectangular sections.
The volume of the first floor is concrete and, like a basement, is faced with thin strips of rough dark gray stone with asymmetrically growing pipes on the sides. The upper floor is wooden, and both of them are cut through by a multitude of glass stained-glass windows, wide windows from floor to ceiling, which make the volumes permeable and transparent, lightweight on the outside and very light, open to forest landscapes, on the inside.
“We have implemented in this project a technology that we have been actively developing in recent years together with Newood: when a half-timbered structure can be supplemented with any other material,” says Roman Leonidov. - In this case, these are timber and large stained-glass windows. In addition, I really appreciate the possibilities of creating large-span structures that the laminated timber technology provides,”adds the architect.”
Indeed, the house actively interacts with the external space, surrounding itself with an extensive and diverse frame of terraces, loggias and balconies. The largest of these is a barbecue gazebo that runs parallel to the rectangle of the house and is connected to it by a short isthmus of wooden flooring. Its upper border is formed not only by a sloping canopy from the rain, but also partly by a permeable lattice of large beams passed between the volumes of the "stone" first and wooden second floors, which creates a feeling of an air gap, and maybe even levitation of a wooden superstructure, which looks completely not standing firmly on its stone base, but as if preparing to move along the guides. In addition, one of the ends of the second floor is extended with a deep console above the base, so one might think that the movement has already begun. Another terrace - more likely a loggia, rests on the roof of the lower tier on the other long side of the house, opposite the barbecue. It must be said that balconies, deep sloping roofs and a stone basement of the first tier are recognizable elements of the structure of an Alpine chalet; in general, however, the house does not look very much like a chalet; rather, some fragments can evoke recognizable memories, especially for avid skiers.
Balconies and terraces, together with open beams and white frame supports, reminiscent of stage portals, form a kind of transparent, semi-open structure around the house. The overall effect obtained is described by the words “architectural deconstruction” - from the most spectacular point of view, the house reveals to the viewer, almost the core of its structure. Here, the theme of a park gazebo plays a role, and the idea of a ruin, which has been relevant in recent years, is also either a park or an antique one: the white frames are very distant, but they echo the marble platbands of the entrance openings, which no, no, yes, and you can find on some late Roman ruins. Having fantasized, one can imagine that we have in front of us the remains of a stone building, built up with wooden volumes, but not completely - such a train of thought with an invented but not imposed history is also quite relevant in our time. In addition, the picturesque house, wide open to the forest, is quite appropriate for its tasks: outdoor recreation, barbecues, tea and sitting on the terraces, contemplation of pines from under the sheds.
The house, wide open into space, is just as light and airy inside. The first floor is almost entirely occupied by a large living room - it is also a fireplace, dining room and kitchen. This is the main and most eventful place in the house, with seating areas by the fireplace, a bar and a large dining table. The wall facing the barbecue terrace is almost completely occupied by a sliding glass partition - it can be completely opened in summer. According to the interior designer Anastasia Leonidova, in addition to visual echoes with the main house, the customers asked to add “more color, light and life”. Hence - the contrasts of textures and colors, for example, light travertine and dark stained oak, or dark gray concrete and white surfaces of kitchen furniture. To enrich the palette of emotions, the authors also allowed themselves to use a variety of textiles - carpets on the floor and light boxes on the ceiling, and even eclectic notes: pieces of wooden furniture from Asia Minor are combined with more democratic and modern items.
A futuristic staircase leads from the living room to the second floor: concrete steps, naturally growing out of the travertine wall, hang in the air, clearly visible through the transparent handrail. In the upstairs bedrooms, the intense contrast is replaced by a cozy harmony of light walnut wood with occasional splashes of stone and frosted glass doors.
The authors are convinced that the house develops the tradition of organic architecture as it integrates into the natural surroundings and uses natural materials. Which, apparently, is the case. Plastically, the main principle here is balanced contrast, balancing on the verge of tradition, deconstruction and eco-minimalism. It provides not only the overflow of spaces and impressions, but also the integrity of the ensemble, the roll call between a large and a small house. He also - allows you to recognize the characteristic handwriting of Roman Leonidov's bureau.
