hillside house on stilts by TWO+ preserves natural surroundings within crimean forest

TWO+ builds cantilevered residence within steep crimean forest

on the steep terrain of a forested area in crimea, architectural bureau TWO+ has built ‘hillside house’ as a large-span living space that accommodates occupants comfortably, while caring for the natural surroundings. the structure stands on a set of steel stilts to keep itself above the ground, preserving all pre-existing trees. opening towards the nearby mountains and the salgir river, the newly unveiled building serves as a peaceful getaway that brings residents closer to nature.

all images courtesy of TWO+

panoramic glazing offers picturesque river views

the architecture of the house is characterized by two main concepts: concern for the natural habitat and the desire to generate a generous living environment. therefore, the dwelling is shaped as an elevated structure, based on a long metal frame with a 12-meter column pitch. in this way, it keeps the local vegetation intact and generates ample living space for the occupants to enjoy.

the top of the house is generally flat, except for the central part, which bends into a pitched roof, forming the opening for the skylight. the southern wall of the building faces the pine forest and is made of panoramic glazing, revealing a picturesque view of the entire river valley from all rooms in the house. a balcony extends along with the glazing and connects to the main terrace at the end of the house. access to the balcony and terrace is made possible through sliding aluminum systems from the rooms.

construction and materiality

during implementation, it became almost impossible for vehicles to pass through the site, so earthworks were carried out mainly by hand. in addition, due to dense vegetation and steep relief, the delivery of the individual structures to the installation site turned out to be quite difficult. therefore, it was necessary to find a truck crane with a sufficient boom length that could reach the desired point. eventually, the total construction period lasted a whole year.

thermalwood and aluminium composite panels are the main materials used in the exterior of the house. the retaining walls are built using traditional rubble masonry made of local stone. old granite paving stones were used while covering the driveway, and a part of the paving was made with brushed concrete. a small fragment in front of the terrace is planted with a lawn and decorative grasses, while the main territory of the site has been preserved in its original form, which visually made it possible to blur the border of the site and the adjacent forest.