Private house in Cēsis

The villa by Outofbox Architects sits comfortably in the steep terrain. It may look small and sheltered towards the street, but it rises three stories tall towards the forests of ancient Gauja river valley, featuring floor–to–ceiling windows that let nature come inside.

Hills and dales do not form your typical Latvian landscape, which is why this holiday house in Cēsis was created with maximum respect for the unique relief of the ancient Gauja river valley. This variation in levels made it possible to position the building on the steep river bank so that it invariably looks different, regardless of your point of view. Secluded out of respect for the client’s desire for privacy, the roadside façade is only visible up to a height of one and a half floors. In contrast, one can decipher each and every function of the building through the expansive glazing of the threefloor southern façade.

The first two floors of the building have been made into massive reinforced concrete constructions. The thermal insulation positioned between two plates ensures the exposure of the concrete surfaces both indoors and outdoors. The third floor has been designed to be different - metal-framed openwork spanned by extensive glazing, stories a 270-degree panorama. The interior maintains the building’s ascetic image - here rough concrete plates and extensive glazing are dominant. A feeling of coziness is generated by the natural oak surfaces and carefully designed elements such as the fireplace slab and the ornamental metal stairs. The combination of inbuilt lighting fixtures, concealed within and hanging from the surfaces, offers countless lighting scenarios, which can even be easily controlled by the smartphone, thanks to the application of smart house principles.