Designer homes for nature getaways

 

In today’s fast-paced citylife, more and more people feel the need to return to nature, seeking peace far from the city’s hustle and bustle. Pujo designer houses in nature are our answer to this need, offering unique spaces that provide a sanctuary outside the city. The houses we design for escaping the city are situated in picturesque landscapes and intertwine modern architecture with the character of the surroundings, creating a perfect blend of luxury embodied in comfort and the simplicity of primal contact with the nature around which we sculpt our architecture.

Working in various contexts, through numerous projects, we have recognised ways architectural approaches and translating the environment into design aremaking contact with nature – a matter of relaxation encouraging design. Depending on the environment, whether it be a village, forest, or suburb, we will present how, by drawing inspiration from each landscape individually, we create unique spatial narratives in which we give form to the imperative of enjoying the landscapes.

Rustic village house

For the project of a house in the countryside, we were inspired by the visual expression of the traditional architecture in the region. Learning from the past, we designed a house in the rural landscape that relies on rustic elements, interpreted in a new way through design. Utilising the characteristics of the hilly landscape, we opted to create a dynamic structure with a main and auxiliary building, oriented towards a spacious courtyard as the central space for relaxation.

In designing the building, we aimed to promote a relaxing effect through its form, thus we conceived the house as a structure with a soft, clay-like appearance. With seemingly massive strokes of white walls that converge at rounded corners, we created an extraordinary exterior ambience that relies on rustic wall finishes, whose geometry marks the contemporary moment in which the house is created. Through the interplay of freestanding walls, like sculptures in the exterior that create boundaries for the porch and open spaces, and arched portals – our design introduces an unexpected interpretation of a massive wall as a visually light and soft element.

In emphasizing the contrast between rustic and contemporary elements, we paid special attention to the materialisation of the architectural components. Thus, the house features striking motifs of a wooden pergola over the porch and a stone plinth that suggest a modern interpretation of traditional country house symbols. Wood, stone, and earth, along with the monochromatic wall surface, collectively evoke old houses made of natural materials. In our interpretation through geometry, these materials become the framework within which contemporary life unfolds.

Introducing a contemporary touch to the design of the country house, we contrasted the soft masses of the walls with large windows articulated as delicate rectangular structures with black frames, giving the house a timeless appearance. Through these openings, each room offers a view of the courtyard, while the window divisions themselves lend the house a luxurious expression.

Modern Architecture for a Forest Idyll

The forested areas where we have had the opportunity to work are particularly characterized by the dynamic landscape formed by the alternation of low vegetation and diverse trees, which surround the plot and provide a guideline for creating a playful rhythm through architectural design. Drawing on the relationship between the treetops of the nearby coniferous forest and the clearing of the plot itself, we designed the space of this house by multiplying triangular forms – roof planes that interweave and extend across the depth of the plot, replicating the silhouette of the coniferous forest canopy.

In design terms, the multiplied form allowed us to meet the client’s needs in both interior layout and room structure. The slopes that maximize internal space provide attractive alcoves for outdoor living. This approach achieved an unexpected effect of living under a gable roof in a contemporary interpretation of a porch, while the angled windows, slanting towards the ground at the intersection of two triangles, offered differently oriented openings compared to those typically found in A-frame structures.

To emphasize the interplay of triangular forms and their impact on both interior and exterior spaces, we applied a tri-tone materialization approach. The glass surfaces used on the facades of the building allow views towards the landscape, and we extended this design concept to the positions of the linear roof windows. These windows are strategically placed to create the impression of a cut side of a triangle, allowing zenithal light to filter into the house.

On the interior sides of the roof, in outdoor alcoves, and on the facade where triangular planes overlap, we applied wooden cladding reminiscent of traditional mountain architecture and log cabin materialisation. Finally, as a modern element dominating the visual expression of the house, we used anthracite metal and black colours on the roof and designer-defined slopes on the façade, thus introducing a contemporary architectural motif into the landscape.

Emphasizing the meadow where the house is situated through architecture, we articulated exterior zones as if embedded in the ground, ensuring elements like terraces, pools, or spaces around a contemporary fireplace remain at the meadow’s natural level. This approach maintains the harmony between horizontal and vertical elements within the forest landscape.

In designing these environments, we utilized stone and concrete slabs as substantial elements subtly embedded into the ground. We translated the tranquil rhythm of the surroundings into the design by incorporating larger terrace systems that create subtle, almost floating levels in the courtyard, following the natural rhythm of the gentle slope of the terrain.

Suburbs with a view

The suburban environment offers a design opportunity to connect urban elements closely tied to the city with the maximum potential of nature that even a short distance from the city can provide. In this context, the project of this house began with considerations of its relationship to the suburban street and the slope at the end of the plot, creating a contrast between the functional and visual zones of the house.

To maintain user privacy from the street level, we designed a fence with a semi-transparent gate, establishing a boundary between the street space and the private oasis with a view. The transparency of the fence makes the house itself more accessible and welcoming compared to the suburban surroundings, while also hinting at the direction of the property’s layout that extends through the gate towards the slope.

In designing the composition of the buildings on the sloped plot, we adhered to the client’s request to design two identical units with separate entrances and pitched roofs. Additionally, the client desired a pool nestled in the shade between the houses, creating an ambience reminiscent of the Mediterranean.

Our response to the design task involved orienting the houses lengthwise to maximize views towards the city and the river. We positioned the main facade openings of both buildings at the corners of the buildings, facing the slope. This placement ensures that the views of the landscape are optimized and that the houses do not obstruct each other’s vistas.

In addition to the corner windows, which reflect the sky, we achieved the Mediterranean aesthetic by using a stone façade cladding. The stone cladding extends across both the upper floor where it aligns with the glass, and the ground floor where it forms a thicker stone wall in front of the level of the upper floor facade. This design feature gives the impression of an inherited stone wall commonly found in Mediterranean environments.

To avoid creating unnatural symmetry in this specific landscape, we pulled the roof ridge towards the higher elevation of the plot, ensuring that the roof planes mimic the slope of the terrain. The dynamic terrain allowed us to create several plateaus with different functions, making the courtyard usable as a unified space for both houses. By duplicating features such as the pool, fire pit, and outdoor dining terraces, users of both houses can utilize the courtyard collectively or individually, thanks to the varying ground levels.

By introducing monumental stairs that lead users down towards the fireplace and pool areas, we achieved a completely modern intervention in the landscape. This approach integrates natural materials typical of Mediterranean architecture with modern design elements and geometry, creating a contemporary expression.

Pujo getaway houses

Drawing upon the specific characteristics of the landscapes in which we build, and introducing something unique into each project inspired by the nature of each location, we consistently create a new architectural narrative. This approach allows our clients to fully enjoy nature while integrating architecture that emerges from the dynamics of the environment.