Dezeen Magazine

JRKVC's lakeside house optimises small footprint with hidden attic areas

Ladders lead to sleeping platforms accommodated beneath the hipped roof of this simple Slovakian lake house, which local studio JRKVC designed without any corridors to utilise the available space (+ slideshow).

The Lake House project by JRKVC Architects in Slovakia

The small property was created by architect Peter Jurkovič's studio for a family of five who wanted a refuge that they could escape to from their busy lives in the nearby Slovakian capital, Bratislava.

The Lake House project by JRKVC Architects in Slovakia

The house is located on an island in the Danube river, which has a lake at its centre flanked by holiday properties that form part of the village of Vojka nad Dunajom.

The Lake House project by JRKVC Architects in Slovakia

Jurkovič, whose previous projects include a house near Bratislava with an entirely glazed gable wall, wanted to create a holiday home that facilitates a simple countryside lifestyle.

The bungalow's main space is an open-plan central living area that looks out towards the lake through large glazed folding doors.

The Lake House project by JRKVC Architects in Slovakia

Functional elements including the kitchen counter, a fireplace and built-in storage are arranged around the edges of the room, leaving the floor free for furniture including the dining table and chairs.

"We had a maximum footprint of 65 square metres so the idea was to use it in the most efficient way," Jurkovič told Dezeen. "With that in mind, I tried to propose a layout with no spare spaces such as corridors."

The Lake House project by JRKVC Architects in Slovakia

Partitions at either end separate the living space from the bedrooms and bathrooms. Behind a wall of built-in shelves painted in a vivid shade of green, two sets of bunk beds are positioned either side of a washroom.

The Lake House project by JRKVC Architects in Slovakia

At the opposite side of the main space, the master bedroom and a separate bathroom are contained behind a wall made from masonry blocks that absorb and gradually radiate heat from the stove.

The Lake House project by JRKVC Architects in Slovakia

The building's hipped roof provides space underneath the rafters at either end for platforms that can be used to accommodate additional guests, or as play areas for the children.

The Lake House project by JRKVC Architects in Slovakia

The roof has an asymmetric profile that extends further from the southern side of the building to shelter the outdoor terrace from the sun and rain.

The Lake House project by JRKVC Architects in Slovakia

The building's external expression is intentionally simple, and features white-painted cladding combined with natural wood used for the window frames and deck.

The Lake House project by JRKVC Architects in Slovakia

"I had a concept of a monochromatic exterior and a contrasting, warm and colourful interior," Jurkovič added. "All attention is paid to the essential part of the house, which is inside. There we find the beauty, colours and textures."

The Lake House project by JRKVC Architects in Slovakia

Other lakeside properties featured on Dezeen include a sculptural weekend home in Massachusetts comprising protruding volumes that extends towards the sky and water, and a house near Gothenburg that features a gabled kitchen reminiscent of a church.

Photography is by the architect.

The Lake House project by JRKVC Architects in Slovakia
Ground floor plan – click for larger image
The Lake House project by JRKVC Architects in Slovakia
Mezzanine floor plan – click for larger image
The Lake House project by JRKVC Architects in Slovakia
Cross section one – click for larger image
The Lake House project by JRKVC Architects in Slovakia
Cross section two – click for larger image
The Lake House project by JRKVC Architects in Slovakia
Axonometric diagram – click for larger image