Living where others go to get away from it all: This home in Vilnius with a grey clinker brick façade that blends into the natural surroundings is situated in a local recreation area.
The district of Verkiai is not far from city centre Vilnius. This mystic place, popular among the city dwellers of Vilnius for short or longer excursions, is the subject of many legends and tales. Here there are numerous natural recreational spaces, bordering on the capital city of Lithuania: The regional park of Verkiai attracts visitors to its forest spa and green lake in the northwest and entices bathers. Strolling along splendid banks of Neris River is a common pastime.
The family living on “Fairies Road” (Laumių str.), with the help of the architectural studio A01, had a simple but modern house built, which appears all of a piece due to the consistent design of the façade. In spite of the recesses, protrusions and tiers in its cube shape, the house has a coherent appearance. The discontinuities in this consistency give rise to a spatial dynamic on the façades, making interpretation easier:
The foyer, the living and dining areas, as well as the private bedrooms can all be understood from outside, and provide reassuring guidance inside. Large windows and a well thought-out lighting design help the rather somberly designed house make a friendly overall impression.
The natural grey brick Terca Pagus Grijs Zwart was chosen for the façade. The knitted look, enhanced by the disparate arrangement of the brickwork, is visually striking and varied and symbolises warmth and cosiness – in the words of the architect, Živilė Purimaitė: “the pure essence of a home”.
A special vertical pattern was chosen for the main entrance: two units of bricks laid with the longer side toward the wall and perpendicular to each other. Laying the bricks in this manner meant that a thicker foundation had to be built. As a final touch, subtle lighting was added to give a third dimension to the ensemble.
The terrain of the property slopes slightly downward – the architects decided not only to conserve these uneven surfaces but even to express them visually in the house.
The upper storey is divided into two areas with different heights that mirror the terrain in the garden. And so, for those living in the interior, the different levels create a vibrant feeling. Tall windows and the dark brickwork, as well as the metal details on the façade make a powerful architectural statement.
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