Image credit: Mykhailo Lukashuk
Kyiv-based YOD Group has completed a set of guesthouses in central Ukraine that reinterprets the traditional hata-mazanka vernacular through contemporary materials, transparency, and a dominant roof form. Titled ‘Under the Reed Roof Guesthouses,’ the project is located on a private estate near Kyiv.
Image credit: Mykhailo Lukashuk
Image credit: Mykhailo Lukashuk
The design draws on characteristics of the historic mazanka, a rural housing type defined by whitewashed walls, thick envelopes, and thatched roofing. In the contemporary version, the elements are translated into fully glazed facades and an oversized sculptural roof. The roof’s profile creates a distinctive silhouette intended to reference both traditional headwear and natural organic forms.
Image credit: Mykhailo Lukashuk
Image credit: Mykhailo Lukashuk
Each guesthouse is organized around a central concrete core containing bathrooms and services. Living and sleeping areas are arranged on either side of the core. The living spaces include a minimalist fireplace intended as a contemporary interpretation of the traditional Ukrainian stove. The design intentionally excludes televisions, emphasizing visual engagement with fire and landscape.
Image credit: Mykhailo Lukashuk
Image credit: Mykhailo Lukashuk
Full-height glazing creates visual connections between interior spaces and the surrounding environment, while a continuous stone-carpet flooring extends both inside and outside, reinforcing spatial continuity. Privacy is managed through automated curtains integrated into the building control system.
Image credit: Mykhailo Lukashuk
Image credit: Mykhailo Lukashuk
Interior finishes follow an eco-minimalist approach, using a restrained palette of natural materials and furnishings by Ukrainian manufacturers. The project incorporates furniture by Noom, ceramic and clay objects by Guculiya, and custom lighting elements crafted from natural fibers.
Image credit: Mykhailo Lukashuk
Image credit: Mykhailo Lukashuk
The large domed roof rises to approximately 33 feet at its apex and conceals building systems within the structure. Mechanical ventilation, air conditioning, and exhaust systems are integrated into linear slots and concealed outlets, while a heat pump system provides year-round climate control.
Image credit: Mykhailo Lukashuk
Image credit: Mykhailo Lukashuk
“Our philosophy of terroir design goes beyond working with local materials or familiar forms – it is about uncovering the essence of a place and decoding its cultural meanings,” said Volodymyr Nepiyvoda, co-owner and managing partner of YOD Group. “We studied the image of the traditional Ukrainian house, distilled its core characteristics, and reinterpreted them through our own lens to create a contemporary architectural object.”
Image credit: Mykhailo Lukashuk
Image credit: Mykhailo Lukashuk
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