Traditional cabins inform mountain retreat in the Ukrainian Carpathians

Lviv studios Sanina Arch Club and Gubar Architects used a "combination of modern and local traditions" for Krasnyk House, a holiday cabin in the Carpathian mountains in Ukraine.

Krasnyk House's form mimics the typical architecture of the Hutsuls – an ethnic group from the mountains of western Ukraine – and blends it with contemporary materials and finishes.

"During the project, we have researched the origins of local architecture, Hutsul customs and the culture of the region," said Sanina Arch Club founder Alina Sanina.

"Our aim was to build that kind of cottage, which could fit harmoniously into the local style – that is why the cottage looks like it already was in the village a hundred years ago," she told Dezeen.

Sanina Arch Club and its sister studio Gubar Architects set Krasnyk House on a concrete plinth at the top of a steeply sloping site.

It looks south towards the village of Krasynk from a terrace elevated on slender black-steel columns and sheltered by the large angular roof.

Krasnyk House's exterior and roof have been clad with black-metal panels with standing seams, offering a contemporary take on the wooden planks that would typically wrap the area's cabins while contrasting the surrounding landscape.

Entering from the more enclosed northern side, an entrance hall leads into a large living, dining and kitchen space with a glazed corner that slides open to the terrace.

A freestanding fireplace, roughly plastered grey walls and dark wooden ceiling are intended to create the feeling of a "cosy retreat" for this living area, as well as being a nod to the timber structures of traditional mountain cabins.

A central wooden staircase separates the living space from a bedroom to the east and leads up to an attic bedroom. Here, a panoramic triangular window provides views out across the landscape.

"When you enter the house, you immediately feel comfort and peace. This is the perfect place to relax from the hustle and bustle of the noisy city," Gubar Architects founder Sergii Gubar told Dezeen.

"In the interior, we combined traditions with modern life – comfortable living conditions and luxury design are only two features which remind you about city life."

Sanina Arch Club and Gubar Architects are based in Lviv. The ongoing Russian invasion caused their operations to come to a halt in 2022, but they are now continuing to work while living "under the missile strikes and air raid sirens".

The teams completed Krasnyk House in 2020 but recently decided to publicise the project in light of the war.

"We think that this project is still very important to share," they told Dezeen. "During Russian aggression, Ukrainians have to defend not only our land but also our culture and traditions."

Other mountain cabins featured on Dezeen include a project by Heliotrope Design perched on a rocky outcrop in Washington State and a red timber-clad structure by Byró Architekti.

The photography is by Andrii Shustykevych.

The post Traditional cabins inform mountain retreat in the Ukrainian Carpathians appeared first on Dezeen.