Grzegorz Layer Create a Simple Cost-Effective Weekend House in the Polish Countryside

This quaint little home is set in a picturesque region of northern Poland called Kashubia. The landscape is littered with forests, meadows and lakes, making it the perfect spot for a place to escape to on the weekends.

Simlpy dubbed Kashubia House, the project was completed in 2016 with the aid of Polish architect, Grzegorz Layer. With Layer’s direction, they’ve managed to create a compact, cozy retreat for the client.

The property is set on a small patch of land and occupies just 721.18-square-feet (67-square-meters). According to the architect, the clients brief was seemingly straightforward: “to create a simple, functional and economic building which can be used all year round.”

Part of the reason for creating such a small home, was because the land was already home to an abundance of pine trees. Layer attempted to integrate the new building with as little disruption as possible to the environment. Keeping the house small also allowed to keep costs low.

From the architect: “Its asymmetrical form is a result of the functional arrangement of the interior. In spite of the limited size of the house, it proved possible to organise a spacious day zone on the ground floor comprising living room, dining room, and a kitchen annexe with direct access to the terrace…

The staircase located in the centre separates the living room from the hall and from the closed rooms: the main bedroom, bathroom, and toilet. The asymmetrical roof allows sufficient height in part of the building for an additional floor with mezzanine and two guest bedrooms.”

The structure itself is composed of a wooden frame, which is clad with pine boards (a finish that’s traditional in the region). The apparently random positioning of windows is due to Layer capturing specific views of the outside world. All in all, it’s a good example of simple, cost-effective construction.

For more small houses, check out this efficient small home for the homeless by students at Yale. Or, 50-50 House, a home that embraces the environment. See all small houses.