House N is situated in a quieter secondary neighborhood on Pantovcak street in Zagreb, perched in the western hills and boasting a delightful panoramic view of the forest and the city. A relatively narrow steeply sloping and elongated plot was the key element that defined the position and layout of the house. The entire house, its facades and the roof are covered with the same material, dark brown HPL panels, which, in contrast to large openings, make its volume more compact.
The ground floor consists of a living area, which extends to the other environment through wooden terraces, some of which are roofed over, while others are open to the sky, winding up in completely natural pebbled areas amid grass. Unlike the living room and the dining area, contact between the kitchen and the exterior is not as direct. Nevertheless, the placement of the kitchen in an otherwise unfavorable position in relation to neighboring homes and the surrounding terrain was auspiciously counterbalanced by the introduction of a broad corner window set level with the garden lawn. Hence the work surface, placed alongside the window, appears to stretch out toward an open expanse of the garden.
The main accent in the interior is a wide two-floored hall that signifies the main connector of the ground and first floors. It is dominated by a hanging Poulsen “artichoke” bathed I diffuse zenithal lighting that comes from a high main window and gives the entire are a unique atmosphere. The first floor consists of intimate areas; a work area, parent and children’s zones, from which one may take in a most breathtaking view through a corner window.
Floors of oiled teak and white walls create a respectable foundation for any color intervention which might take place in the future. Special attention was given to the lighting of the rooms. Toilet and wardrobe areas are lighted with roof lights in order to provide them with as much natural and superior quality illumination possible. The fitness room situated I the basement and gets its only source of light through round glass ceiling lights placed along the southern glass surface of the living area floor.
Simplicity and compactness of volume, a limited choice of materials and resultant colors in the end make the house look like a place of fine dark chocolate atop a green meadow. House N designed by 3LHD architects.
