A task that seemed unsolvable

In 2019, the studio was approached by the owner of a large plot with century-old pine trees and a northern landscape near St. Petersburg. The key request of the customer is to build a residence without interfering with the forest area.

In practice, this meant building a large house where almost any typical solution would require clearing part of the forest. The height differences of the site reached one and a half meters, and the preservation of each tree meant that the laying of the foundation had to be planned not according to an abstract master plan, but according to the exact position of each pine tree on the ground.

House on a plot with century-old pine trees

It was in the process of working on this project that the idea came up to stretch the horizontal of the building instead of building it up. This approach made it possible to place a significant amount on the site, preserving the integrity of the forest area and the natural character of the territory.

The architecture literally adapted to the existing landscape. The house does not compete with nature, but becomes its continuation. Panoramic glazing opens up views of the pine forest, and natural materials help the building to blend seamlessly into the environment.

Each decision was made taking into account the specifics of the site. As a result, it was possible to save more than 600 trees and additionally plant 300 more plants and shrubs.

How the architectural style was born Studia 54

The solutions found for the house in Repino turned out to be so accurate that they subsequently determined the architectural style of Studia 54 for years to come.

The horizontal composition, spread out along the site, has become one of the studio's signature techniques. Double-light spaces with ceiling heights up to 7-9 meters, found here as a way to create a sense of spaciousness without increasing the number of floors, have also entered the permanent arsenal of architects.

Equally important was the principle of selecting materials and a color palette based on the natural environment. Today, this approach remains one of the basic design elements in Studia 54.

More than 150 specialists worked on the residence at various stages. The architectural task, which seemed almost impossible in 2019, became the starting point for the formation of a recognizable studio method.

From one home to hundreds of projects around the world

Over the years, Studia 54 has learned to transfer the found architectural language to sites with completely different climatic conditions. This is how the division into northern and southern houses was formed within the studio method.

If architecture in Repino responds to the challenges of a changeable climate and the need to preserve forests, then in projects for Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Nigeria and other warm regions, the same principles already work to solve opposite tasks: protection from heat, control of insolation and integration with the tropical landscape.

The horizontal composition, work with natural lighting, attention to the context of the object and the natural features of the area remain unchanged. Only the way they are applied is changing.

This is what distinguishes a mature architectural style from the only successful solution: it remains recognizable, but each time it adapts to the specific territory, climate and lifestyle of the owners.

The site as a single ecosystem

In addition to the main two-storey house with a spacious terrace, there is a guest house with its own mini-living room and a separate building for staff.

Together, these buildings form an enclosed structure, in the center of which there are more than five recreation areas — from a secluded corner among the pines to an open hearth area under the open sky.

The walking routes with a length of more than 500 meters are designed taking into account the natural rhythm of steps, and the height of the steps is designed for comfortable movement along a site with difficult terrain.

Evening lighting is built as an independent scenario, emphasizing architecture and landscape at night. Each element works in conjunction with the others: lighting takes into account the routes of movement, and the routes, in turn, are built taking into account the location of the saved trees.

Why does Studia 54 operate on a full-cycle basis

The experience of working on the residence in Repino has consolidated the principle that today underlies all studio projects: the company is responsible for the entire project — from the first acquaintance with the client to the delivery of the object.

It was the complexity of the task that showed that the distributed responsibility between different contractors does not allow achieving the necessary accuracy. The coordination of architects, engineers, designers and landscape specialists within one team makes it possible to bring all solutions into a single system.

This approach subsequently became one of the key advantages of Studia 54 and allowed it to maintain a high level of control even as the company scaled and the number of international projects increased.

The residence that became the starting point

Today, a personal Studia 54 expert works with each new customer, who accompanies the project at all stages and delves into the habits, lifestyle and expectations of the owner.

For the family who ordered a house in Repino, the residence has become a space designed for specific life scenarios: morning coffee on the terrace overlooking the forest, evenings around the campfire in the hearth zone, relaxing in a private spa without having to leave the site.

The residence in Repino, which has become one of the key projects in the history of Studia 54, is celebrating its anniversary today along with the studio itself. It remains not just a private house, but a living embodiment of the method that later formed the basis of hundreds of projects around the world.