We designed this house for a family who decided to move out of the city to be closer to nature. The building is located in the Vinnitsa region of Ukraine on the bank of the Southern Bug river. The aesthetic concept of the project was dictated by the picturesque landscape. We decided to integrate the building into the surroundings as much as possible.

The biggest challenge for us was the short term of a project. It took 11 months from the foundation pouring to moving the family into their new home. It is a huge amount of work to build a cast-in-place concrete frame building with all technical difficulties, furnish it, and prepare it for a full life.

The building stays on the hill, and it is turned to the river. The entrance is arranged to let the person get through it directly to the terrace. The facade that looks toward the river hill has a full glazing that opens the most picturesque view to the land and water.

The house is functionally divided into two wings. The Eastern part contains living spaces, a kitchen, and a wardrobe, Western wing has a SPA zone and a pool. In the middle of the house, there is an atrium where a family oak tree is growing.

The main space of the whole interior is a living room. The pendant Focus fireplace is suspended from the 6-meters high ceiling in the living room. Above the fireplace, we hung up the lamp from numerous brass tubes which reminds the traditional Chinese décor Wind Chime. This lamp is a custom object we created for the house and checked that pipes did not make any sound tangency with each other.
The interior of the house is directed by functional needs. Every element there is caused by inner logic, there is almost no decoration in the rooms. Whole communications are integrated into the Smart House system. Such an approach reflects the house owners’ personalities as rational people who effectively plan their life and prefer modern technological solutions.

Bedrooms there feel like high-level hotel rooms. They are thoughtfully comfortable and emotionally neutral. Calm grey and beige color pallette enlarge the warm shade of the nutwood. The most significant decorative accent is the green frame of live plants on the corbel around the glass banister on the first floor.

There is a roomy terrace positioned at the perimeter of the building. It has a relaxing zone with lounges, a dining zone, and a small garden with trees, bushes and a lawn grass.

The gazebo on the hill is a spatial place to stay alone, meditate, and contemple nature. It lets you feel like floating above the river. You can get there from the terrace by passing over the 15-miters (49 ft) bridge.

The biggest challenge from the engineering point was building the 16-miter (52 ft) long pool partly goes outside the building. The house is located in the continental climate zone where the year temperature difference reaches 60°C. The pool is designed for using it during whole seasons. The goal of our team of engineers was to arrange water heating and circulation in a way it would not be any temperature change when you get to the outside part of a pool or coming back. The outside end of the pool is made from glass to allow the swimmer to admire the landscape from the water.

– When we first came to this land, it mesmerized us. We wanted to stay there, open a bottle of wine, and enjoy how the sun dawns above the river and sets in the forest. That is why we name the project Vin House. – an architect Olga Bogdanova says.

Design team:

Bogdanova Bureau