The Lithuanian architecture firm, Arches, based in Vilnius, was commissioned to design this house as an extension, or second residence, of a house located in Palanga, a city on the Baltic Sea.
The architects of Arches propose a house among the existing trees, respecting all of them, so that maximum contact with nature and the environment is maintained. The project is based on the concept of a nest between trees, as the main guideline. The design pays special attention to natural lighting and its relationship with the environment, nearby.
 

"The villa project explores the principles of creating a living space in a natural environment: preserving / creating natural, flowing spaces, respecting the" light spots", using contextual structures, introducing nature to the building, using dynamic hierarchy principles at the interior spaces, creating tectonic architectural details - all what is important for a synergistic worldview”.

Edgaras Neniškis.

Project description by Arches

While designing the recreational villa project, “arches” relied on the inherent synergetic architecture postulates. The essence - all is interrelated, have their own causes and consequences. Cozy living spaces should have appeared at the old seaside resort of pine forest, where every tree is preserved.

The goal - to maintain the maximum contact with nature and the environment. These aspects have led to the choice of a nest as a semantic and structural system for building volume, construction and space. The concept of a "nest" was chosen also for the double meaning of the word: the latter describes an object “the nest” and at the same time an action ”to nest”

The building situated in between the trees is made up of three planes representing different functional areas and spaces. They are joined by the openwork of omnidirectional laminated timber structures. In the lowest, single storey area, there is a swimming pool, which directly connects to the spa and sports areas, latter, through the staircase up to the living room and bedrooms.

Turning around the building shapes a semi- enclosed outdoor patio area that ensures at least partial shelter from the passers by. The glued wood columns that hold the facade not only play the role of the structure, but also, thanks to their polygonal tilt, create an effect of blinds that ensure residents with more privacy inside the essentially solid glass volume. The location and the shape of the building was determined not only by the existing pine network and the idea of a "nest", but also by the desire to seek for rear sunlight.

The design process involved the observation an evaluation of the dynamics of the “light spots” at the specific location for developing the final concept. Thus the living room and the courtyard space appeared at the brightest place. The clear glass facade transmits light through, meanwhile maximizing the insolation at all of the villas accesses.

The philosophy of external volume formation is maintained inside. Integrity of overlapping spaces is emphasized by using the same materials and polychromy.

Floors and stairs of elastic concrete, parquet made of the same material at the second floor allow to shift an attention towards the surrounding nature without competing with it. The rotating fireplace emphasizes the multi- polar, versatile nature of interior spaces - something that is inherent at the natural environment. It is also important to see the environment, the nests of the birds and the squirrels in the pines from the second level of the villa, from the bedrooms.

Landscape solutions complement the architectural concept of creating lifestyle among the trees. The design of the terrace walls and fences came inspired by the bents at the seaside meadows. They were handmade by the blacksmiths.


"The villa project explores the principles of creating a living space in a natural environment: preserving / creating natural, flowing spaces, respecting the" light spots", using contextual structures, introducing nature to the building, using dynamic hierarchy principles at the interior spaces, creating tectonic architectural details - all what is important for a synergistic worldview”.

Edgaras Neniškis.

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Architects
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Design team
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Edgaras Neniškis, Rūsna Vaineikytė Neniškienė, Rūsna Vaineikytė, Rolanas Liola, Arūnas Liola.
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Interior
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arches in collaboration with Galbiati Arreda Milano
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Area
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268.50 m²
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Dates
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2018
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Manufacturers
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- Glass fasade in wooden frame.- JSC "Doleta".
- Wood columns and beams.- "ARCWOOD" by Peetri Puit OŪ.
- Roof.- FDT Rhepanol roofing membrane system.
- Floors.- "Cementoresina" by Kerakoll Deasign House.
- Walls.- "Cementoresina wall" by Kerakoll Deasign House.
- Wood floors.- "Legno+color medium" by Kerakoll Deasign House.
- Staircase.- JSC "Mediniai namai".
- Lightning.- "Flos".
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Photography
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Arches. The first steps of the architectural studio began in 1993. The students or absolvents of Vilnius Gediminas technical university, Rolandas Liola, Arūnas Liola and Tomas Grunskis trooped together for the co- creative activity. In 1995, when Edgaras Neniškis joined the colleagues, the fold team was formed. Later the team changed, however the unifying fold, later the co-owners‘ kernel – R.Liola, A.Liola, E.Neniškis – remained. At the beginning of the co-creative activity they worked with small architectural objects and interiors.

This is the time of Searching and experimentation. At that time they cooperated and implemented the common projects with the sculptor Ignas Šimelis. In 1998 Eugenijus Januškevičius joined the collective. In 2000 the office was moved out and arranged a studio in Vilnius. The JSC „Architektūros estetikos studija“ is established in 2002. The range of projected objects expanded: individual houses, interiors, recreational buildings, public, commercial and urban projects.

From 2002 to 2004 the studio cooperated with Liutauras Nekrošius. The geography of projected objects also expanded – that is Latvia, Estonia, the Ukraine, Russia, Germany, Montenegro. They participate in the architectural competitions successfully. Since 2007 the title „Architektūros estetikos studija“ has been changed to its short version „Arches“. Many young and creative people joined the studio collective. Nowadays it is a dynamic and creative studio of architecture.
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Published on: January 5, 2020
Cite: "A nest as a semantic and structural system. Nest Villa by Arches" METALOCUS. Accessed
<https://www.metalocus.es/en/news/a-nest-a-semantic-and-structural-system-nest-villa-arches> ISSN 1139-6415
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