Holiday Home With A Big And Funky Roof Faces The Baltic Sea

If this house looks unusual that’s because it is. This is the Dune House, a holiday home designed and built by Archispektras, a design studio founded in 2003 and specialized in both public and residential buildings and interior design.

Dune House in Latvia architectural features

This quirky holiday home is located in Pape, Latvia and covers an area of 175 square meters. The project was completed in 2015 and, for a modern house, the structure looks a lot like a traditional structure. But this influence is only one of its defining characteristics.

Dune House in Latvia long linear layout
Dune House in Latvia surroundings

The design is defined by sharp and linear details that contrast with the curvy landscape and the soft and organic forms found in nature. The architects wanted the house to be able to easily blend in with the surroundings and to become a natural part of the landscape.

Dune House in Latvia big roof
Dune House in Latvia big angled roof

In order to obtain this look, the architects chose to use a select palette of materials and colors like straws, wood and earthy tones. This choice was also made in order to help the house resemble typical local buildings.

Dune House in Latvia angled rood
Dune House in Latvia roof proportions

The clients had few and clear expectations for this project. They wanted this to be a relaxing and inviting holiday home for their family and to be able to capture the beautiful views of the surroundings. Managing to combine these two requirements was no easy task, considering that most local homes don’t have huge windows or expansive outdoor areas.

Dune House in Latvia roof seen from the side
Dune House in Latvia roof top

The architects positioned the house so that every room can face the sea horizon. As a result, all the spaces can enjoy lovely views without being necessarily exposed to the outdoors in a manner typical to contemporary residences.

Dune House in Latvia covered garage

The roof is massive and practically conceals the house almost entirely. It has that authentic look that lets the house look natural but it also has a quirky and playful appearance that gives it a modern look.

Dune House in Latvia social area
Dune House in Latvia social area skylights

The interior of the house is surprisingly open and spacious. The living room, dining space, kitchen and lounge are sharing an open plan. They’re illuminated through skylights and they have a décor based on neutral and light color tones inspired by the landscape.

Dune House in Latvia living room freplace

A ceiling-mounted fireplace acts as a visual divider between the living space and the dining area. It’s also meant to make the ceiling look higher and to put an emphasis on the vertical lines of the space.

Dune House in Latvia dining area

Given the size and shape of the floor plan, the social area is a long and narrow space. This makes it easy to distribute the functions throughout the house. They’re placed in sequences and they’re each clearly defined even through there are no physical barriers between them.

Dune House in Latvia hallway with curtains
Dune House in Latvia bedroom decor

The house was designed with spacial and social interactions in mind hence the open plan and the cohesive interior design and décor. The rest of the spaces are also breezy and light. Wood was used extensively throughout the house and this allows the rooms to look and feel really cozy, warm and welcoming.

Dune House in Latvia pool table

There’s a really nice organic beauty that characterizes the house. It has a nice raw look emphasized by the funky roof angles, the choice of materials, finishes and colors.