Soaring House / VFORM

Architects: VFORM
Area: 620 m²
Year: 2023
Photography: Sergey Krasyuk, Yuri Palmin, Dmitry Chebanenko, Vladislav Bek-Bulatov
Lead Architects: Vladislav Bek-Bulatov, Daria Ilina
Structural Engineering: Vladimir Ivakhnov
City: Moscow
Country: Russia

Soaring House is a 620-square-meter private residence in the Moscow Region designed by VFORM. Developed for a compact and irregularly shaped site, the project is defined by a rotated upper volume that expands the usable area while preserving open garden space. The ground level is conceived as a transparent base articulated in glass and satin-finished stainless steel, enhancing daylight and reflecting the surrounding landscape. Above, a timber and fibre-reinforced concrete structure appears to hover, supported by slender stainless steel columns integrated into a monolithic slab. Inside, natural stone and wood veneer establish a restrained material palette, while bespoke elements such as a digitally fabricated chrome-effect panel and a floating concrete staircase reinforce the studio’s integration of advanced production techniques with spatial clarity. The residence includes expansive living areas and a basement wellness zone, articulating a cohesive architectural and interior vision.

The Floating House or Soaring House project was driven first and foremost by a challenging site. Rather than treating its constraints as limitations, we sought to turn them into opportunities and find a solution that would unlock the site’s potential. That is how the idea of lifting the house above the ground emerged.
Interview with Vladislav Bek-Bulatov of VFORM

The architectural concept emerges from the constraints of a small, uniquely shaped plot, where orientation, sightlines, and solar exposure informed every formal decision. Rather than imposing a conventional footprint, VFORM adopted a strategy of spatial permeability, allowing the ground floor to unfold as a continuous, visually unobstructed plane. Floor-to-ceiling glazing opens the interior to the garden, while satin-finished stainless steel surfaces capture and diffuse natural light, subtly dissolving the building’s mass into its landscape context.

The upper level is rotated and offset relative to the base, a deliberate maneuver that increases floor area without overcrowding the site. This shift improves daylight access to the northern portion of the garden and creates a sheltered terrace beneath the projecting volume. The structural solution reinforces the perception of lightness: slender stainless steel columns are embedded within the slab, enabling the timber and fibre-reinforced concrete upper structure to extend outward with a controlled, hovering presence.

Material continuity strengthens the dialogue between exterior and interior. Directly opposite the entrance, a chrome-effect mirror panel introduces a sculptural focal point that echoes the reflective facade. Produced through robotic fabrication from a three-dimensional digital model, its surface undulates in a repeating sine-wave pattern, generating dynamic reflections that amplify spatial depth. In the master bedroom, a solid walnut wall panel provides warmth and tactile contrast, reinforcing the interplay between high-precision fabrication and natural materiality.

Circulation is orchestrated around a double-height hall anchored by a sculptural floating staircase formed from ultra-high-performance concrete. Engineered specifically for the project, the cantilevered steps taper from five to eight centimeters in thickness, demonstrating technical refinement while emphasizing vertical continuity. Light entering through adjacent glazing casts shifting patterns across the white surfaces, accentuating the stair’s structural precision and sculptural quality.

The lower level extends the domestic program into a dedicated spa and relaxation zone comprising a sauna, hammam, cold plunge pool, jacuzzi, and lounge. Clad in thermally treated wood and talc-magnesite, this subterranean environment contrasts the luminous upper floors with a more introspective atmosphere. Across all levels, natural materials, including Fior di Bosco marble, white quartzite, and walnut and oak veneer, establish a cohesive palette. Soaring House ultimately synthesizes structural innovation, digital craftsmanship, and contextual sensitivity into a residence that balances expressive form with disciplined spatial logic.