Architects: SHOVK | Ruslan Lytvynenko, Anton Verhun, Andrii Leso
Interior designer: Tereza Maevska
Area: 245 sq. m
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine
Project year: 2021
Photographer: Mikhail Pavenin

About SHOVK
SHOVK is a team of specialists in creating modern, exciting and functional projects in the field of interior design and architecture. Having gained European experience in designing residential, commercial, and public facilities, since 2015 we have been realizing the dreams of our clients, who share our understanding of aesthetics and philosophy.

Our portfolio includes more than 100 implemented projects around the world. The main principles of our work are full mutual understanding with the client, attention to details, implementation of energy efficiency technologies, reasonable consumption, and design that is not subject to time and ephemerality of fashion trends.

A house built using natural materials to create a healthy microclimate in and around the house.

A view of the dining area with glass wall from the outside.

The main entrance with a double height garden in the middle.

The kitchen area connected to the living space with a huge in door plant in the corner.

The kitchen with wooden island paired with wooden bar-typed high chair.

A glass-enclosed L-shaped stairs made up of wooden.

The upstairs private office with book shelves and fish bone flooring.

The binocular in the upper level of the house that pointed out up above the sky.

The winter garden located at the back of the house.

The side view of the house with panoramic sliding window.

A man entering the main gate of the house which is made up of woods.

A backdoor view of the house which is surrounded with wooden fence.

The front facade of the house at night with a freezing ice surrounding.

Kerala House is a house in the woods, built using natural materials and the latest technologies designed to create a healthy microclimate in and around the house.

The layout of the house revolves around the kitchen and living room, from here you can get to the winter garden, master bedroom and kids rooms, as well as stairs to the second floor, where there is an office, guest bedroom, small sauna, and a secluded room with panoramic sliding window and terrace.

The shape of the house and its location are determined not only by the interior planning but also by the trees growing on the site. We planned the house so as not to harm them.

Walls, partitions, and ceilings are wooden frames, filled with warm, breathable, 100% biodegradable, and resistant to the development of mold and fungus material – hempcrete. In addition to high energy efficiency, this material has excellent sound insulation properties, so the house feels solid and capital.

There are no vibrations of walls and floors, almost no sound of footsteps, and the music sounds dense and rich. The heating and hot water supply system is a geothermal heat pump, it does not make harmful emissions and allows homeowners to significantly reduce operating costs.

Proper air quality is provided by the supply and exhaust ventilation system, and the built-in recuperator reduces heat loss during air exchange between the house and the street.

Since the house is located in a picturesque area, it was important to create the effect of the flow of the environment into the interior. This function is performed by large panoramic, corner, sliding windows, as well as windows in the ceiling. Thanks to them, even in bad weather, residents can enjoy the union with nature, being in a warm, comfortable home.

Acacia wood was chosen as the cladding material – this material will serve the owners for more than fifty years without any treatment and will smell like wood, not chemicals. It is also very important that acacia ages beautifully.

Over time, it will fade and become covered with small cracks, which will give the house a charm of authenticity and nobility.