The Long Brick House

Minimalist design meets everlasting intellectual values. Temple of books shaped into a long brick house in the side of the Big-Proud Peak, Hungary, from Foldes Architects

The project initiated by an intellectual couple, had a clear starting point: “We own a length of books something like 100 meters” – was told to the architects, Laszlo Foldes and Peter Sonicz. In a rich natural environment, at the side of the Big-Proud Peak found the owners the best venue to retire from work and the noise of the capital, Budapest.

Pilisborosjeno, a town some 15 km up to North Buda stretches in between hills encompassing, with surrounding villas inhabiting the Pilis hillside. The plot can be approached from a chain of narrow and steep roads. When arriving to the gate, just the green canopy is visible, with a pure, raw concrete parking lot. Thanks to the slope garden, the house is hidden behind this rich, welcoming flora and fauna which played also a crucial part of the design process. The owners wanted to save and keep as much of the original plants and trees as possible.

“Taking into consideration the narrow and long shape of the building site, the way of the sun and the low budget programme, also the age of the couple who are to be retired soon, we advised to realize a straightforward base plan, where the spaces are linked with a long corridor and public spaces face the panoramic view of the valley. At the same time, to avoid creating plenty “useless” square meters we discovered the great potential of the corridor. We turned this horizontal axis into a highly beneficial and unique element of the house, a 17 meters long wall of library.” – remarked the architects, Laszlo Foldes and Peter Sonicz concerning the design concept. 

As approaching the house, a closed brick wall peeps behind the trees and a staircase down to the base where the sauna and a store room are located. Behind the brick wall, on the ground floor, a master bedroom and a bathroom are situated. If one follows the brick pavement can meet the main entrance on the Eastern side, viewing the middle point of the corridor which leads to the public zone on the left hand side and to the private on the right. Latter consists of the working room, bathroom, bedroom with its own terrace opening to the Western side. 

 

The inner spaces follow the prolapse of the building site therefore the level of the floor is made continuously deeper via few stairs, enlarging the height (first after leaving the private zone, than when entering the living room, and finally when reaching the garden from the living room’s terrace). This results a variety of spaces, enjoying each case higher ceilings and wider rooms, ending up with the limitless panorama of the terrace. 

 

The giant bookshelf fulfils much more functions than one would expect. Throughout its 17 meters the modular system architects designed opens up, enabling a window to perfectly fit in, and a window seat – thanks to the 50 cm deep walls. At the living room the shelves are united with the fireplace. 

 

“It was our general aim to assure the proper inner climate with architectural means rather than constructing huge machinery. The house has a 50 cm thick brick wall, meeting the heating technological standards and giving sufficient thermal inertia. The ceiling slab is made of wood and the empty, well ventilated attic behaves as a „buffer zone” optimising the inner climate. The terrace of the living room plays an important role in the protection against rain or intense sunshine, while it is an extension of the living room as well as an intermediate space between in and out.” – added the architects, Laszlo Foldes and Peter Sonicz.

-Viktória Szépvölgyi