A pavilion-style house informed by the ancient Latvian farmstead – the viensēta. Designed as a holiday home, the house encourages the owners’ connection to themselves, each other and the natural surroundings. It sits within a sparsely populated area of Gauja National Park in Latvia where passing wildlife is more common than humans. Nature entertains, inspires and provokes. Life doesn’t just take place indoors, it flows betweeen the exterior and interior with the terrace as a facilitator. 

Since traditional farmsteads have a yard bordered by the home and its outbuildings, we introduced a terraced garden in lieu of a functional barn and shed, which the owners didn’t need. The garden conceals a garage. The area creates a pocket of privacy within the landscape and strengthens the owners’ sense of belonging and ownership.

The building has a timber and metal frame, and OAD repeated this combination of materials in the facade and interior. The external cladding is tar-treated pine and the decking is larch. The grey colour scheme is inspired by the aged timber and stone of old buildings, as well as the melancholic grey Latvian weather. The home sits organically in the landscape without crying out to be seen.

Another similarity with historical homes is the custom-made nature of many of the home’s features. OAD worked with skilled artisans who brought the designers’ ideas to life such as the kitchen and shelving units, bed and couch. These are paired with select design pieces like the hanging fireplace.

Team: Zane Tetere-Sulce, Jelena Ozolina-Jelisejeva, Beatrise Dzerve, Zane Araja

Brands: Focus Fireplaces, Ferm Living, NORR11, Herzbach, DCW editions, lett

Build: Delta Construction 

Carpentry: Uldis Ceplis