Ukrainian Mazanka Houses: Heritage Meets Innovation

Exploring Small Structures and Ukrainian Mazanka Houses

Three small structures are situated on a plot of land in central Ukraine, each covering approximately 50 square meters. These summer houses represent an in-depth study in reinterpreting traditional architecture, surpassing visitors’ expectations tied to the familiar and well-known aspects of rural construction.

Traditional Roots of the Mazanka

For generations, the Mazanka has defined the landscapes of the Ukrainian countryside. Characterized by its whitewashed walls and thatched roofs, it reflects enduring folk building practices. Reliance on thick clay walls, smooth plaster finishes, and natural materials sourced from surrounding fields was a fundamental aspect of this architecture. Additionally, seasonal replastering was part of home maintenance, but it also took on a cultural dimension that reflected the values of the community.

Reinterpreting Traditional Architecture

By studying these patterns, the designers focused on the cultural and symbolic essence of the Mazanka rather than merely copying its physical forms. The central question was: what does the Mazanka mean to rural inhabitants, and what value does it hold in their daily lives, beyond its material features? This approach allows for a deeper understanding of architecture as a carrier of cultural identity and community traditions, while enabling its reimagining in a modern and renewed way.

Side view of a small cabin with a tall, mushroom-like reed roof and transparent glass base during a foggy winter day. — Inspired by organic forms and traditional mushroom-shaped stacks, the roof becomes the dominant sculptural element of the structure.

Symmetrical view of a modern guesthouse with a dark wooden door centered between glass panels under a large thatched roof. — Heavy wooden doors provide a sense of stability and “tangible mass” against the delicate glass structure.

Transparency and Light as a New Language

In this project, floor-to-ceiling glass walls replaced the traditional solid clay. This transparency was not merely a material choice but became a language expressing light and order within the dwelling, allowing natural light to flow freely and enhancing the sense of spaciousness and connection with the surrounding environment.

Thatched Roof as an Expressive Element

The thatched roof takes an unconventional form, exceeding the typical proportions of a Mazanka to become the defining feature of each structure. Its sculptural shape creates a distinctive visual effect, evoking images of traditional hats and organic mushroom caps found in nature. It also hovers above the glass walls, giving the impression of a semi-detached element that crowns the structures and imparts a dynamic character.

“Terroir” Design and Understanding the Architectural System

The architects employed the concept of “terroir” in reinterpreting the Mazanka, a notion that goes beyond mere material choices or historical references. By studying the cultural symbols embedded in rural architecture, the Mazanka was understood as a living system interacting with its environment, rather than a static artifact. This approach honors tradition while opening the door to radical innovation, integrating elements of the Ukrainian countryside into the interior spaces, blurring the boundaries between inside and outside, and unifying the dwelling with the surrounding nature.

Interior of a modern bedroom inside the Mazanka house featuring a panoramic glass wall overlooking a snowy field and a warm illuminated cloud lamp. — The interior spaces dissolve the boundaries between the living area and the surrounding nature through seamless glass facades.

Modern interior with a minimalist circular fireplace built into a clay-like wall, pebble flooring, and organic-shaped furniture. — A modern interpretation of the traditional hearth, the circular fireplace serves as the spiritual and functional heart of the home.

Doors and the Concrete Mass

Heavy wooden doors provide clear points of entry, lending the delicate glass structures a sense of weight and balance. This contrast between transparency and material creates both a visual and functional equilibrium within the design, reinforcing the impression that the dwelling is part of its natural environment while remaining cohesive and grounded.

Architecture in Dialogue with the Environment

Photographs of the houses in winter show the massive thatched roofs hovering above snow-covered ground, demonstrating the dynamic relationship between the building, weather, and seasons. These structures do not remain static in the rural landscape; they interact with their surroundings, reflecting the design’s ability to integrate humans and nature into a seamless living experience.

Integrating Heritage and Innovation

The design team drew on centuries of accumulated architectural knowledge, extracting the essence and spirit of the traditional Mazanka rather than literally replicating its forms. This approach allows architecture to deeply respect heritage without succumbing to traditional rigidity. The guest houses demonstrate how cultural memory can inform contemporary expression, showing that tradition and innovation are not necessarily in conflict.

These transparent houses with their expansive thatched roofs represent a new chapter in Ukrainian architecture, simultaneously looking to the past and the future, grounded in a philosophy that breathes life into folk architecture and transforms it into a complete modern experience.

Living room area with rounded white textured sofas, pebble flooring, and a large window looking out to a misty forest. — Every piece of furniture and texture is chosen to reflect the organic essence of the Ukrainian countryside.

Close-up of a tall, dark textured wooden door with a sleek metallic handle integrated into a glass wall. — Craftsmanship in detail: The heavy timber door acts as a grounding element for the ethereal glass structure.

Looking up into the high vaulted ceiling made of dark wood shingles with warm glowing lights at the apex. — The interior of the roof reveals a complex timber structure, creating a warm, protective “shell” for the inhabitants.

Detail of the glass wall meeting a floor made of small natural river pebbles, with snow visible outside. — The transition between the interior pebble floor and the exterior landscape emphasizes a life lived in harmony with nature.

✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight

This project can be seen as an intriguing architectural study on reinterpreting heritage, demonstrating how contemporary design can integrate elements of the traditional Mazanka within a new context. Among its strengths, the use of glass walls and thatched roofs provides a clear perspective on how the buildings interact with light and their surroundings, allowing architects to explore the possibilities of merging tradition and innovation in a visually immediate way.

However, the project also raises several questions when considering expansion or replication. Practical challenges, such as the long-term maintenance of thatched roofs, preserving the thermal efficiency of glass walls, and adapting to different climatic conditions, may limit the broader application of this concept. Additionally, the focus on form and visual experience can sometimes overshadow consideration of everyday user functions or adaptation to practical living requirements.

From an analytical perspective, this project can serve as a model for inspiring innovative solutions in small-scale and rural architecture, leveraging heritage studies as a tool to enrich design thinking, while emphasizing the need to carefully address technical and practical aspects to ensure the sustainability of any future implementations.