Architects: Vlad Sebastian Rusu
Area: 202 m²
Year: 2024
Photographs: YWP.Studio
Manufacturers: Wienerberger
Lead Architects: Vlad Sebastian Rusu, Andra Vladoiu
Structural Engineering: Asiza Birou de Arhitectura S.R.L., Ovidiu Rusu / Asiza Birou de Arhitectura S.R.L.
Instalations: Progir proiectare Constructii S.R.L., Radu Indolean / Progir proiectare Constructii S.R.L.
Country: Romania
This rural house and barn renovation project, completed in a pre-mountain village in Romania, preserves the archetype of the traditional Romanian household while adapting it to modern residential needs. Originally composed of two hardwood volumes with burnt tile roofs—one for living and one for storage—the ensemble was restored using original wood joinery and locally sourced limestone to repair the stone bases. The project retains the original silhouettes and materials of both buildings, resisting contemporary over-modernization. Only subtle interventions were made, such as enlarging the house’s window openings to strengthen the connection with the surrounding oak and ash forests. Landscape interventions redirect rainwater through gravity to a wetland zone, forming a pond with native vegetation. The barn remains a storage structure, while the house is now adapted for modern habitation, reflecting a sensitive and quiet reintegration into the rural setting.
This rural house and barn project in a Romanian pre-mountain village recovers and adapts a traditional household ensemble made of local hardwood and burnt tile roofs. The original archetype—comprising a home for people and a barn for animals—has gradually changed in function across the rural landscape. Here, the intent was to preserve both structures’ form and material identity while adapting them for current residential use.
The original wood construction was maintained using traditional assembly techniques. The external image remains consistent with its historic character, with the only formal change being the enlargement of certain window openings. These were expanded to offer stronger visual connections between the interior living spaces and the surrounding oak and ash forest landscape. Each interior space was oriented toward specific views or landscape features.
To stabilize and restore the structural base, stone walls and foundations were repaired using limestone extracted from a nearby quarry. The intervention also includes a gravitational rainwater management system. Water is directed toward a designated wet zone on the plot, supporting a fish pond and planting of moisture-adapted vegetation.
While the house has been adapted for new residents, the barn remains functional as a garden tool storage space. Both buildings retain their traditional material logic and rural discretion, reinforcing their role in the natural and architectural continuity of the village environment.
Project Gallery
Project Location
Address: Romania
The location specified is intended for general reference and may denote a city or country, but it does not identify a precise address.
