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Architects: Case Studio for Architecture
- Area: 119 m²
- Year: 2023
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Photographs:Norbert Tukaj
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Manufacturers: Betonika, Gealan, Medžio forma, Platek, Thorup Copenhagen
Text description provided by the architects. A residential house located in Naujoji Vilnia, a former industrial district in Vilnius, Lithuania. The house is situated in a contrasting area where the green valley of Vilnia River meets a harsh street and railway, with homes tightly packed next to large industrial buildings awaiting conversion. Given this unique setting, the house was named the 'Industrial Villa.' It features an iconic industrial silhouette, constructed from three-layer prefabricated concrete, adding a 'concrete crown' to the skyline of Naujoji Vilnia, dominated by chimneys and industrial buildings.
The project drew significant inspiration from the nearby industrial surroundings, incorporating elements such as materiality and prefabricated assembly techniques. Concrete components for the house were cast 30 km away from the construction site and assembled on-site with industrial efficiency. This approach sustainably minimized excess logistics and construction waste. Daylight options were also considered: sawtooth windows, typically used in industrial buildings to illuminate dark spaces, were adapted to bring natural light into the house's staircase and bathroom while also providing ambient light for the bedrooms.
The concrete surfaces, both inside and outside, are left as the final wall finish. In contrast, all the surfaces frequently touched by residents—such as floors, furniture, countertops, and bathroom surfaces—are made from wood, providing a warm, natural, and humane atmosphere. Together with the views opening up to the river valley, this creates a villa-like, leisurely lifestyle. The circular ground floor plan and sliding windows on three sides of the house allow for unrestrained movement, functionally connecting indoor and outdoor spaces. On the second floor, double sliding wooden doors divide the concrete structure into private rooms, but when open, they take up no extra space, leaving large openings for easy circulation between areas.
Throughout the house, several mirrored doors were installed in key places. These juxtapose the view seen through the window with the background reflected in the mirror—rails, roads, and chimneys against lush valley greenery—highlighting the two contrasting natures of the house: the industrial and the natural.
To preserve and restore the site's hydrological regime, roof runoff water is collected by continuous 7-meter-long metal 'tongues' and released to fall freely on the blind side of the house into a 1-meter-deep 'dry river bed' made of pebbles, onsite stones, and plants. This system collects stormwater, temporarily stores it, and allows it to slowly infiltrate into the soil, supporting groundwater recharge.
