Project: Family House in Pavilnys
Architects: DO Architects
Location: Vilnius, Lithuania
Area: 1,614 sf
Photographs by: Norbert Tukaj
Family House in Pavilnys by DO Architects
The Family House in Pavilnys is a stunning modern dwelling designed by DO Architects. This minimalist, single-story dwelling creates a little over 1,500 square feet of modern living spaces, surrounded by lush natural landscapes. The design aims to make the most out of the beautiful natural surroundings with the vast glazed surfaces that bring the views inside.
Life is measured in moments and, above all, in our ability to be open to reality, opportunity, the magic of the simplest everyday details that surround us.
Architecture of private housing creates spaces for sharing the everyday chaos and opens opportunities to play. Watching the trains pass by, deers coming to your garden to eat apples, putting feet on fresh cut grass while the kids are climbing on you and playing snowfights. It does not mean a clean house, but it sure means fantastic memories.
Life doesn’t have to be perfect to be wonderful. This story is not about the house, but a home.
Located in Pavilnys Regional Park in Vilnius this humble and practical house offers a sense of richness beyond materiality: pure comfort, enjoyment, and quality of life.
The building is split into two functional halves. On one side, an open common space containing the kitchen, dining, and living areas spans the entire length of the house. This space facilitates everyday family life in a vibrant and shared environment, without conforming itself to formality or tidiness. There are no separate rooms for reading, eating, or working, only a dynamic and ever-changing space that embraces everything that makes a house a happy home: some messiness, a bit of chaos, and lots of laughter.
A wall of glazing connects the common space to the garden, where an apple orchard attracts the occasional deer and the natural surroundings of the regional park form a dynamic backdrop to life inside the house. The contrast between inside and out is blurred, and the atmospheres of the changing seasons are felt as much indoors as they are outside.
Situated along the other half of the building, bedrooms and quiet spaces offer secluded areas for family members to retreat from the commotion, allowing for privacy and personal space, without total disconnection from the rest of the house. East facing skylights bring morning light to both the bedrooms and the common space, ensuring the house is bright and airy throughout the day.
The building shows that good architecture need not be excessive. The house does not offer richness through expensive materials or things, rather through its ability to set the scene for life. This is a home at one with nature, where you feel a part of your surroundings, where you can play with your children in the snow, and pick apples in the garden. This is a home of contrast, offering both seclusion and connectivity. A rail line borders the site providing a 7 minute trip into the city, as well as entertaining the children with every passing train. This is a home that facilitates memories, embraces family, and celebrates everyday life.
