A log house that needed to regain its integrity

We worked with the existing shell of a wooden house in the Moscow Region — a log structure with a strong material foundation, but still lacking a clear architectural character. In its original state, the house read as a collection of separate decisions: expressive logs, simple geometry, added volumes, and an overall image that had not yet come together.

It was important for us not to erase this foundation, but to reveal it. We preserved the warmth of the wood, the scale of the log structure, and the feeling of a country house, while introducing a clearer composition, contemporary elements, and a more precise spatial logic.

Connecting the tradition of a wooden house with a contemporary way of living

Our task was to reconstruct the house, bringing it to a final area of 140 m², and make it functional, bright, and cohesive. The project needed to update the image of the house, reorganize the layout, strengthen the connection with the site, and make a compact space feel more open.

We were looking for a balance between the image of a traditional terem and a contemporary country house. That is why traditional motifs — wood, decorative elements, an expressive roofline, and work with the silhouette — are combined here with large Schüco windows, restrained detailing, and carefully considered spatial logic.

“Terem” as a leitmotif

For us, the name "Terem" is not about literally reproducing a historical form. It is more of a leitmotif: a warm wooden house organized around light, family, fire, and life close to nature.

We strengthened the character of the log structure without turning the project into decoration for decoration’s sake. The contemporary elements serve the quality of everyday life: large openings bring in more natural light, the double-height space changes the scale of the living room, and the new timber-frame extension expands the functionality of the house without conflicting with the existing wooden volume.

The new extension as a continuation of the house

The main volume of the house was preserved as a log structure. The extension was built using timber-frame technology, which allowed us to carefully complement the existing structure, introduce new living scenarios, and avoid overloading the original house structurally.

Originally, the veranda was perceived as a separate part of the building. In the project, it became a full continuation of the living room. By adjusting the proportions, reworking the roof, and filling the openings with large transparent structures, the space became more open, airy, and connected to the site.

Double-height space, fireplace, and looped circulation

The center of the house is the shared area — a kitchen and living room with a double-height space. We designed it so that the compact house would not feel cramped: the view opens toward the light and the garden, circulation does not end in dead ends, and the furniture supports movement rather than blocking it.

The fireplace acts as both an emotional and spatial core, even though it is shifted into the newly formed part of the living room. It connects the living area with the site, adds a sense of living warmth, and supports the main scenario of country life: gathering together, looking at the fire, feeling the wood, light, and space around.

BBQ, storage, and outdoor service logic

The reconstruction affected not only the house itself, but also the scenarios around it. We introduced a BBQ area and a storage volume as part of the overall site system. These are not random separate elements, but a continuation of the architectural language of the house.

As a result, outdoor functions become convenient in everyday life: close to the house, connected to the main routes, accessible enough for regular use, and organized enough not to disturb the natural feeling of the site.