Dezeen Magazine

Family home in Pernek by Ksa Studený

Ksa Studený completes trapezoidal concrete home overlooking Slovakian forest

Architecture studio Ksa Studený designed this trapezoidal concrete and glass house to frame views of a forest near the village of Pernek in Slovakia.

Dug into a sloping site, the 200-square-metre home is fronted with a full-height glass facade and topped by a roof that will gradually become covered in plants to conceal it from view.

View of a house by Ksa Studený between trees
Ksa Studený has created a concrete and glass house beside a forest in Slovakia

"The inspiration was to build something similar to a hunter's lodge," Ksa Studený founder Jan Studený told Dezeen.

"This came from the site itself, its independence, positioned at the edge of the village and the direct orientation to the forest in opposition to the slope of the site," he continued.

Family home in Pernek by Ksa Studený
It has a trapezoidal form that has been dug into a sloping site

The home is organised across two floors, with a living, kitchen and dining area on the ground floor alongside a workspace and main bedroom, while two children's bedrooms sit above.

Matching its external form, the floor plan is a trapezoid, narrowing as it enters the hillside where darker service spaces and bathrooms are located, giving the living and bedroom areas unobstructed views out towards the landscape.

Glazed facade of Slovakian home
Its facade is lined with glazing

"We designed the floor plan of the house in the shape of an isosceles trapezoid, mirroring its longitudinal profile. The interior space is free, divided into two floors connected by a staircase," explained Studený.

Full-height sliding doors on both the ground and first floors allow the home to be opened up, leading directly onto the sloping garden and the forest beyond.

Interior of concrete house in Pernek by Ksa Studený
The concrete frame is exposed throughout

The home's sloping concrete shell has been left exposed both externally and internally, complemented by minimal wooden furniture and simple light fittings that foreground the external views.

On either side are projecting metal-clad forms, which contain a small window looking east and a glass door to the west. The door provides access from the first floor out onto an external stair leading up the site towards a parking area.

"The construction of the house is a concrete shell without internal supports, made of monolithic concrete. The only facade of the house is a glass wall to the south direction, through which it communicates with its surroundings," said Studený.

"There are two big trees in front of the house which shade this side, so there is no need for additional sun-shading," he added.

Child's bedroom interior
The children's rooms are located at the top of the home

Ksa Studený was founded in 1995 by Studený and is currently based in Bratislava.

Other recently featured residential projects in Slovakia include a park-side home in Bratislava by Noiz Architekti and a gabled house nearby for which Martin Skoček salvaged time-worn bricks.

The photography is by Alex Shoots Buildings

More images and plans

Site plan of Family home in Pernek by Ksa Studený
Site plan
Ground floor plan of Family home in Pernek by Ksa Studený
Ground floor plan
First floor plan of Family home in Pernek by Ksa Studený
First floor plan
Section of Family home in Pernek by Ksa Studený
Section
Section of Family home in Pernek by Ksa Studený
Section
Family home in Pernek by Ksa Studený
Family home in Pernek by Ksa Studený
Family home in Pernek by Ksa Studený
Family home in Pernek by Ksa Studený
Family home in Pernek by Ksa Studený
Family home in Pernek by Ksa Studený
Family home in Pernek by Ksa Studený
Family home in Pernek by Ksa Studený
Family home in Pernek by Ksa Studený
Family home in Pernek by Ksa Studený
Family home in Pernek by Ksa Studený
Family home in Pernek by Ksa Studený
Family home in Pernek by Ksa Studený
Family home in Pernek by Ksa Studený
Family home in Pernek by Ksa Studený