A Modern, Stone Retreat in Bulgaria

Located in Targovishte, Bulgaria, Slight Slope Long House is a modern residence envisioned by I/O Architects as a massive horizontal volume. According to the project developers, the topography of the site resembles a cave of an antic theater: “The long structure is facing the favorable sun orientation and the view in slight opposition of the slope. This way entering diagonally into the house the height of the spaces changes in relation to their grade of privacy. In the opposite direction and apart from the main progression are the guest rooms over the compressed space of the entrance and the garage.” The unconventional geometry of the project leads the eye along diagonal lines, creating a fun and surprising effect.

Slight Slope Long House accommodates generously-sized living and dining areas, three bedrooms, a home office and three-car garage: “The internal structure corresponds to the complementary space of the stairs-like veranda facing the park as well as to the terraced yards behind the house.

The monolith appearance of the stone cladded façades and the oversized architectural elements, from one side and the perspective corrections of the front elevation from the other, modulate in an ambiguous way the scale of the large structure”, explained the architects. Sustainable features of the project include passive sun shading, heat pump with ground-coupled heat exchanger and use of local stone. [Photos courtesy of I/O Architects]