This summer house in the Estonian village of Muraste includes a series of wooden volumes topped with faceted roofs and triangular skylights that allow natural light to penetrate into the interiors.
The property is located in a wooded area on the shore of the Baltic Sea and was designed by the KUU Arhitektid architecture studio, based near Tallinn. The architects based the concept on the ancient wooden houses called koda that were built in Estonia for several millennia. The concept of the summer house is based on this archetypal building, which has been modernized in form and function. KUU Arhitektid has reinterpreted simple wood structures as a series of modules with angular roofs that give the interiors a sense of space thanks to the resulting internal height.
The property comprises three units that house the main functional areas - a sauna, a living room and a kitchen, as well as a bedroom and a toilet. The two largest modules containing the main living spaces are connected to form a comfortable and practical accommodation that can be occupied all year round. A platform extending around the wooden volumes provides a series of usable outdoor spaces between the buildings and connects the living areas with a separate unit containing the sauna.
All units have a wood frame structure covered with larch wood planks that extend through the walls and roofs. The sauna is treated with tar oil which gives it a black finish. The kitchen, dining table and sofa are equipped on both sides with large sliding glass doors that open onto the terrace. The glazed surfaces are oriented to the north to frame a view towards the Baltic Sea, and to the south to capture the best of the available sunlight. A large opening in a wall of the room also opens onto the outer deck.