IRIDIUM House

IRIDIUM House is a place for a family of three people twenty minutes away from Minsk. Initially, it was an unfinished house that customers bought due to its convenient location near the forest and convenient transport links to the city.

The object came to us for reconstruction with a warm shell containing pre-installed wooden windows and a solid-made folded roof.

We carried out most of the work on the reconstruction of the house. But in addition to it, customers asked to make landscape design of the territory. So, there was a canopy for two cars, a fire zone, a banya with a veranda, and walls for reinforcing the soil in places of terrain difference in the project.

By the customer’s request our team organized a drive to the house: we arranged a guest parking for four cars, reinforced the old dirt road, laid border stones, and arranged drainage and sidewalk. All these things are good examples for neighbors. It’s common with cottage villages to have residents engaged in infrastructure.

A general facade solution unites all objects. We based it on the synthesis of Belgian clinker bricks and dark anthracite wood. Initially, we were planning to use burnt wood, but during the implementation, we got rid of this idea due to weak color saturation. Wood finish with German impregnation by Remmers became the alternative, so we got the shade we needed.

Black facade sheathing is complemented by bright wooden accents on roof overhangs and natural larch wood on the terraces.  Our team refreshed the bridle system look: we removed the layer of old impregnation and applied a new one. So the wood does not look tired and does not stand out against the new materials.

Two unusual solutions attract attention:

— Openwork (Roman) masonry not only hides the window of the staircase on the main façade but also gives an unusual light pattern in the interior.

— A type of Flemish masonry with bricks protruding outside. This technique breaks the monotony of the wall. In addition, it plays the role of a zone for children to climb.

Also, 4 mm side jambs and window-sills of aluminum on the windows are non-standard, but long-term and aesthetic solutions. Their manufacture is a very time-consuming process. First, the jambs and sills are adjusted to the openings at the construction site. Then they are taken out and sent to a paint chamber at the factory. The last stage is the final installation of painted elements.

During the reconstruction of the house, we used a double flow ventilation system, which additionally combines air humidification and air conditioning. It does not require inappropriate external blocks, which preserves the aesthetic appearance of the facades. There is gas heating in the house. On the first floor, we provided warm flooring, and there are floor convectors on the second.

At the outset, the house had been competently planned and did not require large-scale rearrangement. When one enters the long hallway, one immediately sees a part of the living room. So the guests have a pleasant impression of the house immediately at the entrance. Nearby, there is a large closet, a guest bathroom, and a furnace and laundry room.

It becomes understandable in the hallway that the color palette of materials emphasizes the smooth exterior flow into the interior. Inside, dark shades fade into the background. We replaced them with white plaster on the walls, panels, ash batten, and micro concrete on the floor.

The main first-floor space is a common area that occupies almost the entire floor and is connected to an outdoor terrace, kitchen, and spa area.

Its first part is a living room with a soft area for noisy meetings and cozy fireplace nights. Nearby we provided a study, a guest room, and a playroom.

The second part combines the kitchen and dining room. It has a built-in kitchen area and an island that adjoins a large dining table. So the cooking process is combined with communication and becomes more interesting.

To highlight the scale of the common area and let more natural light inside, we provided windows on the roof above the kitchen. Their dark jambs contrast with the background of the rack ceiling and enhance the effect of daylight.

From the hallway, one can go to the primary suite with a bright bedroom, a spacious closet, and a bathroom. Here, almost all elements correspond to the general mood of the house.

Only small intersperses of bright textiles into the pattern on the tiles stand out and saturate the space with color. So we emphasize the individuality of the owners.

The playroom maintains the general style of the house. It is calm and functional. Neutral colors work as a background for the child’s bright toys, drawings, and personal belongings.

A two-level structure with a bed and an upstairs area is a significant part of the playroom. Here a child can come up with his game scenarios, hide and watch the street through a small window.

The spa area is designed stylistically in the spirit of the house interiors. A special place here is occupied by an open bath, which functions all year round. Together with the terrace, it organizes an additional recreation area on the street.

As a result, we filled all the objects with a feeling of coziness, and dark façade solutions harmoniously fit into the general environment.