In the Kiev apartment Mazanka by Sergey Makhno Architects, lying in a skyscraper, we find a symbiosis of contemporary architecture with a layer of Ukrainian culture. The name of the project Mazanka (мазанка) in translation means “a small village house built of wood, clay and reeds.” The project for client Anastasia is designed to emphasize its uniqueness and modernism with the idea of ecological living in the form of natural materials. „Mazanka apartment is a dialogue of our architects with the past. And its result is a step towards the originality of modern Ukrainian design and Ukrainian culture as it is.“
The building with an area of 98 m2 consists of individual rooms that harmonize. Openness was an important requirement for the client’s hobbies: yoga, dancing, cooking. „It was important for us not only to create an interior that will meet these requirements but also become near and dear to the customer“, write the architects.
The ribbed kitchen with backlight evokes modernism and is the center of the apartment. The dining room at the end of the apartment is located by the panoramic window for a bohemian view of the streets of Kiev. An impressive element is certainly a clay wall or “cave” in the living area, covered with a special clay solution and which can be considered a form of sculpture. Inside it is hidden a soft seat as in a real clay bunker only in a more comfortable version. „The relief was created by the element itself: when drying, the material had cracked and formed unique patterns.“ The storage spaces were created so as not to unnecessarily interfere with the interior itself, but so that Ukrainian culture would stand out. The clay wall continues in the bedroom and is flush with the bathroom. These two rooms are separated by a slightly transparent door that is of the same material as the adjoining storage spaces.
Between the wooden floor and the concrete ceiling, natural materials, sand and soft shades for the female soul meet, as well as unique lighting from Serhii Makhno. „In the bedroom, there is a ceramic Makivka lamp from the Inside.Out collection that topped the trendsetter list by ArchDaily at iSaloni 2019.“
„As for me, it feels here like somewhere in the middle of wild untouched nature“, Anastasia, apartment owner.
Architecture: Sergey Makhno Architects
Team: Serhii Makhno, Viktor Zakharchenko, Serhii Filonchuk
Photography: Serhii Kadulin
