A sloping plot that borders a park in Kharkiv, Ukraine, has received a striking contemporary home design by architects Drozdov & Partners. The 671 square metre family house has a layout that enables the homeowners to enjoy the sweeping nature views through generous windows in all living spaces. In order to truly maximise the garden area at the front, the build was situated as close as possible to the neighbours at the back of the site; this wall is closed off to afford both parties ultimate privacy. The sloping garden flows down toward the border of the tree filled park, as if it were one massive green space.
Due to the tricky active slope of the site, the architects deemed it essential to make a feature of the terrain. The final design includes landscaping elements and flat stone volumes. The composition of the modern home exterior involves two cuboid volumes, which are the main house and a garage unit with guest rooms on top. The two wings are linked by a glazed passageway.
A pathway of stone slabs and gravel provides a meandering safe passage from the top to bottom of the grassy slope.
Two rows of terraces surround the main volume of the house, to overlook the fall away garden view.
Inside of the home there is a winter garden, where tall palm trees grow under glass. The indoor garden stands at the core of the home, and provides a beautiful green view all the way up a modern staircase design. Open plan living zones make an ideal square around the tropical feature, with the multifunctional space consisting of a lounge, kitchen, dining room, a collection of Russian samovars (metal containers traditionally used to heat and boil water in Russia), an office, and a swimming pool. This flexible and transparent environment allows family members to carry out individual activities in different zones whilst continuing to mingle within a sociable space.
The living room is coloured by a panoramic green view. A bright red accent chair is settled beside an arc floor lamp to provide perfect contrast; see more modern accent chairs here. The rest of the room is light and neutral. From a subtle beige tv wall and media cabinet, to soothing ivory fabric modern sofas and pale floor tiles, the accent chair remains the only pop of strong colour in the room.
The inviting courtyard design is directly accessible from the living room, via the foot of the wood staircase.
Once through the large glass door to the courtyard, the homeowners can visit their bubbling pond of beautiful koi fish, The fish pond flows around the perimeter of the winter garden in a U-shape.
The tropical palms of the courtyard also bless the dining room with extra nature views, and it is here that we find the other end of the wraparound koi pond. The outside garden and neighbouring park can be seen through the other window aspect. Six green swivel chairs complement the surrounding greenery. However, If the nature views are not enough, a flat screen tv has been suspended from the ceiling over the wooden dining table for light dinnertime entertainment.
A modern dining pendant also descends over the table. See more dining room pendant lights.
In the kitchen there is a central island, which holds the hob and sink. A couple of kitchen bar stools make it into a casual dining spot too. There is a third eating area just outside of some patio doors, where the family can enjoy al freso meals.
On the opposite side of the courtyard volume there is an indoor swimming pool.
Mature trees provide privacy at the windows.
The revitalising view wraps all the way around the pool.
The winter garden serves as a visual connection between all internal spaces, and also plays a key role in characterising a mezzanine gallery space on the second floor. Artwork is displayed up on the light mezzanine landing, which leads the way to the bedrooms.
Cool neutral decor schemes create restful environments inside of the bedrooms. In this one, an indoor plant brings the garden inside.
The rectangular terraces cut into the natural landscape, and each of the four grow wider as they descend the hill.
The wooden terrace that overlooks the botanical garden is shielded from the wind by a concrete plane that features a cutout picture window. There is also a roof over this area to provide cool shade during summertime.
The wide open terrace area that’s situated directly by the indoor pool room is the ideal place to put an outdoor lounge chair and enjoy a drink. A glass door can be pulled back to connect the pool with the wood terrace, allowing sunbathers to take a quick refreshing dip before laying back out to catch more rays.
By night, the contemporary home glows from mysterious linear volumes at the top of the landscape.
The terrace wall cutaway reveals a letterbox of light.
Ground floor plan. Key: 1-Hall, 2-Study, 3-Living room, 4-Kitchen, 5-Dining room, 6-Winter garden, 7-Swimming pool, 8-Bathrooms, 9-Sauna
First floor plan. Key: 1-Bedrooms; 2-Closet, 3-Bathrooms
Birdseye view of the home and the landscaped plot. This plan allows us to see the obscure angles at which the four garden terraces have been built into the landscape, and their growing size as they descend the grass slope.
