za bor architects: house of mr.r, moscow

‘ house for mr.r’ by za bor architects, moscow, russiaimage © za bor architects

despite its deconstructivist sensibility, the imposing faceted gray structure ‘house of mr. r’ in moscow draws its forms from a deep sensitivity to the greenery of site. za bor architects were give carte blanche to design the single-family home, albeit with the stipulation that the architecture respect the existing trees on the 1800 square meter plot. the plan skirts around and incorporates birches, oaks and pines and the design team even went so far as to create and embed a special concrete pipe into the foundation to preserve a tree root. while the volumes grew from the layout of the foundation, the home is carefully composed into public and private areas, emphasized by way of material and color. the monochromatic reinforced concrete exterior counters white marble interiors dotted with channels of pebbles and black built-in furniture. a wine cellar is expanded with tinted glass mirrors and wrapped in a pattern  of corian and dark wood. contrastingly, the more private areas are swathed in warmer materials– oak paneling and cream-colored textiles work in conjunction with band skylight to create airy bedrooms and bathrooms. the sloped roof is actually a single faceted piece, accessible for sunbathing and or picnicking while providing choice apertures to bathe the home with interior light.   

the home’s plan skirts around and incorporates the existing trees on the siteimage © za bor architects

recessed balconies are protected by retractable windowsimage © za bor architects

slopes and recesses create a dynamic exteriorimage © za bor architects

pipes and pragmatic building systems are worked into the design image © za bor architects

austere exteriors meet materially keen interiors image © za bor architects

white marble and black built-in furniture characterize the ground level image © za bor architects

view into the living space image © za bor architects

the main stair to the second floor has a wraparound bar image © za bor architects

vertical circulation also acts as a material transition image © za bor architects

views of the main stair and bar image © za bor architects

the dining area highlights its floating planes with diffused light image © za bor architects

choice glazing allows plenty of interior light in the more private spaces image © za bor architects

views of the space-conscious bathroom image © za bor architects

interior views of the bathroom image © za bor architects

bedrooms are clad in oak and enjoy views of the sky image © za bor architects

a wine cellar is expanded by tinted glass image © za bor architects

a corian and wood pattern delineate the wine cellar image © za bor architects

the deck area is peripherally lit image © za bor architects

trees were worked around by the deck image © za bor architects