Mikes 29

Written by Omar Dahabra

Location: Zamárdi, Hungary
Year: 2023
Architects: URBA
Photography by: Matti Varga

Mikes 29 is a charming holiday home for a family of five, steeped in generational heritage. This project represents a case study by URBA, exploring a more playful architectural direction focused on modular, lightweight structures that are sustainable and require minimal specialised labour to build.

The building located in Zamárdi, fits in the recurrent motif of recreation and is a possibility of returning to a simple, natural way of life and, with it, to the basic elements of architecture. The uniform pine-clad exterior of Mikes 29 pays homage to the traditional holiday homes found in rural Hungary. This design reflects a long-standing tradition of seeking nature and embracing nomadic simplicity, which has been a cornerstone of holiday home architecture from the very beginning. It aligns seamlessly with the quest for minimal space and straightforward construction.

During the design process Rita Vízkelety, lead architect, worked closely with the client to ensure that the structure was well-used, pleasant interior space, affordable to build and maintain, and weather-resistant so that it could be used throughout the year. The family residence combines intelligent use of prefabricated materials not only to minimise costs and waste, but also to reduce construction time compared to conventional methods significantly. The residential retreat consists of two modules, with a distinctive stepped roofline that creates higher ceilings mid-way through the home and enhances natural light throughout the interior via the skylight windows.

Inside, the units encompass 92 square metres of living space. The compact layout fits four bedrooms, a bathroom, an open-plan kitchen and a living area. In harmony with the building's exterior, the interior material palette remains simple, featuring white walls complemented by wooden accents. The sliding door facing the garden area allows residents to open their living space and seamlessly connect with the surroundings, while large windows in the sleeping rooms offer expansive views of the garden.

The extended roof provides shade, creating a generous outdoor seating area nearly as large as the interior space. Text description by the architects.

Source: www.urba.hu
Project team: Márton Lengyel + Rita Vízkelety
Client: Private
Area: 92 sqm
Text: Lidia Vajda

Omar Dahabra
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