Black Cube House by Kameleonlab
This single family residence from the 70s situated in Wroclaw, Poland, was completely redesigned in 2012 by Kameleonlab.
Description by Kameleonlab
Clients have bought a site with existing 2 storey small building and their main objective was to make this house almost twice as big, whilst incorporating the old structure of a building and to completely change the elevations At the end of a “face lift” old white cube became a “black cube”. Existing house was extended in two directions, towards garden and west site boundary, achieving extra space for a living room on the ground floor and new parents bed room with wardrobe on 1st floor.
Privacy has been the most important issue The site is located in urbanized city zone in residential area of high density, where achieving privacy, so important for clients, was main project issue. Following client wish to minimize possible views into the house form outside, front and side elevations have just a minimum number of openings which was compensated by few skylights and 5 meter height channel glass wall lightning up stairs and hallway. House layout was reorganized to separate diferent zones in very regular mode. Open plan on the ground floor is dedicated for whole family and their friends, whereas top floor is strictly private with parents rooms on one side of a house and kids in the other.
One of very important aspects of this project was to create smooth transition between house and landscaped area. From the garden side steel frame has been designed surrounding terrace and supporting projected “bedroom box”. This has created another space- somehow enclosed but already in the garden. Steel frame will serve as a construction for timber louvers or textile membranes to maximize privacy and create shade in summer months.
This “in between” zone will serve as a living room extension, where sliding glass facade make it possible to connect with outer space almost seamlessly. During summertime and spring this will be ideal for BBQ, garden party’s and will serve as kids playground.
There was a tree in the prospective terrace area that was supposed to remain, unfortunately, the tree was damaged during construction and had to be removed. Owners of the house decided to plant a new tree once the construction is completed.
After carefully searching for adequate elevation treatment architects have decided to clad this house with timber painted black, thanks to this achieving very strong, almost “graphic” effect and same time using environment friendly materials.
To highlight ’empty parts’ of the structure (where solid mass is subtracted) – entrance zone and terrace zone, colored and white render was used instead of timber.
- by Matt Watts
