Saulkrasti

Saulkrasti is a resort town on the seaside of the Gulf of Riga, 30 min drive distance from Riga city center. The site is an eminence itself and is only 2 min walk from the beach. The client was planning to reconstruct the summer house built by his father in the middle of 70's. The alteration asked for a well-insulates house where father – pensioner would live throughout the year, and the young generation would move into for summer periods. Technically being a reconstruction, the overground part of the house was rebuilt completely. As design starting point it had been decided to keep the existing garage retaining walls as an emotional connecting element between the old and the new. The new house design is a contemporary interpretation of regional functionalism that is expressed in form, plan and finishing. An accent on energy efficiency of the engineering solutions was made during the construction. Great attention was paid to building context and finishing details. According to client request the house is planned so that a small area of it is being used all year round, while fully it is inhabited only during the summer season. Room clusters and engineering services are designed accordingly. Engineering systems are provided for energy-saving: geothermal pump and mechanical ventilation system with recuperation. The building envelope is well insulated and sealed, as well as triple glazed windows are installed. The building's geographical orientation does not allow overheating or over-cooling of spaces. The inner space zoning is divided into three parts around the common central south-facing courtyard.