House in Pāvilosta

Reflecting local building traditions, the house in Pāvilosta retains the typical gable roof with wooden shingles, a wooden facade and street-facing windows in an archetypal shape. The house is cladded in planks of Siberian larch and its grey hue perfectly matches the stormy Baltic Sea and northern sky on a cloudy day. Pāvilosta is a coastal city with strict building regulations, and grey is listed as one of the basic colours to be used.

The local climate does not provide an abundance of sunlight, so the newly designed house features generous west-facing glazing and skylights above the kitchen and living space. Details in the interior - such as washing lines hung in the living room’s lighting fixtures - are inspired by local phenomena.

The house has been built to follow the original dimensions of the demolished building's floor plan. The architects hoped this would result in minimal disruption to the original garden and orchard, which has been supplemented with apple trees and perennial beds.

The patio both connects and divides the house and terrace. A woodshed is located at the rear of the garden. The use of identical materials and morphology across the site creates a unified whole.

Underfloor heating and natural insulation that avoids the use of industrially produced foam ensure that the house can be lived in year-round.