Traditional homes don’t have to have their facades redesigned in order to create a more modern aesthetic. Sometimes it is what an architect creates around an existing home that modernizes it. The concrete addition on G3House by Lama Architects is a perfect example of this. With it’s new asymmetrical roofline paired with the traditional pitched roofline of the original house, the yin and yang of the design is in perfect harmony, in fact the new peak actually points to the old peak as though it is paying homage to it.
Located in Otopeni, Romania, G3House was originally a small 100 sq.meter structure with no large space to entertain, the new addition not only offers a large living room but, due to the expansive overhang of the roof it also offers a large, protected outdoor entertainment area.
The outdoor area is designed around a large wood deck and includes the sheltered outdoor living area as well as a pool positioned outside the main house.
In the evening lights on both buildings keep the deck well lit.
Walls of glass can be slid open to create a seamless transition between the indoor and outdoor living zones.
Aside from the operable glazings, there is a glass door positioned between and connecting the two volumes.
The concrete on the new addition is further tied into the site via the use of a concrete fence that wraps around the backyard while the jardiniere on the wall brings a selection of natural plantings onto the concrete.
A pathway leads from the deck, across the backyard dividing it into two zones much the same way the deck is divided into two zones.
The complete design is based on twos, two structures in two styles with two outdoor zones on the deck leading to two areas in the backyard.
While the complete design relies on various versions of twos, it is the yin and yang of the main building and the new extension that really define G3House.
The extension is built from exposed concrete and covered in grey folded metal sheets for the roof.
The section that connects the two buildings is single storey and features a row of skylights.
On the inside the skylights create a definition between the two volumes. On left the original home still showcases the exterior sidewall while on the right the new section is wide open, exposing views of a gorgeous fireplace.
The concrete walls and ceiling hold the heat from the fireplace, reducing the amount of firewood needed to keep the space warm in the winter.
The walls of operable glazings at the back of the volume keeps the space cool in the summer.
The warmth of the oak flooring and media center balance the coolness of the concrete shell.
The wood in the main building is not featured on the floor but rather on large expanses of walls.
The main building was upgraded prior to the expansion and the new layout includes a hallway that leads from the addition through the volume with the kitchen and dining rooms on the left and a bathroom, stairwell and family room on the right.
The original character of the main house was respected during its upgrades and original roof tiles, wood planks and wood beams where reclaimed and reused in the renovation.
Up one flight of stairs the landing leads to a angled doorway leading to the children’s bedroom and then to the washroom which features granite tiles in a warm brown shade. An arched peek-a-boo window looks over the stairwell.
Above the bathroom is a playroom accessed by a ladder inside the children’s bedroom.
The guest bedroom has a dynamic ceiling of exposed joists coming together from different angles.
The upstairs hall is flooded with light from a skylight above, this light also penetrates into the child’s playroom above the bathroom via the window above its door.
The master suite runs the length of the upstairs with the sleeping area at the back overlooking the pool. This whole level was an open loft before the renovation.
Downstairs the dining room opens up to the pool and the kitchen opens up towards the outdoor living area.
There is a cellar and utility room in the basement.
Lama Architects
Photography by Radu Malasincu
As seen here in the G3House, an addition can completely change the overall aesthetic of a home and just like here, a modern extension to a traditional farmhouse can be spectacular – as long as the architect acknowledges both as part of the overall composition.
