Project: Buddy’s House
Architects: Sergey Makhno
Location: Horenychi, Kyivs’ka oblast, Ukraine
Area: 2,529 sq ft
Photographs by: Andrey Avdeenko
Buddy’s House by Sergey Makhno
Sitting atop a 12-acre plot tucked away in Horenychi Village in Kiev, Ukraine is a modern home built by Sergey Makhno, a Ukrainian architecture studio. This home is known as Buddy’s House and it is a truly modern home by today’s standards boasting massive orthogonal volumes stacked to create the development’s frame. The residents are separated from the green lawns that surround the home by large glass windows, black bricks and exposed concrete walls.
Buddy’s House includes a large living space, three bedrooms, a library, a separate guest house, a courtyard as well as a backyard. The interior is outfitted with custom furniture that was built by a local craftsman specifically for this home.
From the architects: “The owners of the house supported Sergey’s idea and decided to do some trailblazing experiments. Interaction of external and internal parts is of highly important in this project. The distinction between them is eliminated due to a large-scale vitrescence of public zone and owners’ bedroom located on the second floor. Arcitects aimed to bring the nature into the interior and even used it in exterior.“
From the architects: “On the house face we can see decorative wall made from natural oak that creates a contrast with the help of a deep dark tone of the main surfaces. Contrast has become one of the main themes of designing. Thick and fragile forms, heavy and light elements, black brick and light-toned cement blocks, textured and smooth surfaces… With the help of contrast we aimed to achieve the unity of forms and nature, two contraries in fact.”
From the architects: “Having come into the courtyard you’d see a lot of open space, cozy porch and house, which is full of light and air. There is a functional additional building near, which can be used as a place for rest, barbeque-zone, shed for a car and housekeeping area. The interior is very temperate and simple. Nevertheless it consists of numeral practical concepts indistinguishable at first sight.”
From the architects: “They will cheer up the owners during usage. For example, tabletop is made of quarzite, strong, durable material that can be used for many years. A camin is equally important, because it is here not just for decoration, but also for heating of whole ground floor. A guest-zone is presented as a functional group consisting of kitchen-island, dining-room, living-room and a big 6 meters high library.”
From the architects: “Also there is a bedroom for guests, wardrobe and ensuite on the ground floor. By wooden stairs you can reach the first floor. There are 3 bedrooms, 2 ensuites and 2 wardrobes and a bathroom, which is separated from the bedroom by glass partitions.”
From the architects: “In the day-time the double-stored library and child’s room are illuminated by sun coming from light tubes in the ceiling. And in the evening the lighting mode can be chosen according to your mood: bright basic or soft decorative. All windows are as big as possible allover the house. It was one of the main owner’s request.”
