L-shaped element house in Jõelähtme

The house is designed as a combination of partly single-storey and partly two-storey volumes. The main volume has a simple rectangular floor plan with a single-pitch roof, where a cantilevered overhang of the second floor above the entrance creates a visually striking architectural accent. The single-storey volume is connected to the main volume in an L-shaped configuration, allowing terraces to be oriented towards the morning and midday sun as well as the evening sun.

The spatial programme is rational and highly functional. On the ground floor, the living room and open-plan kitchen form a spacious, continuous living area that is connected to the sauna zone located in the single-storey part of the house. The building has two entrances: a so-called “clean” entrance through the main hallway, and a “service” entrance that allows access via the storage shed and utility room into the entrance zone. The second floor accommodates two bedrooms, a sleeping loft area accessed from the stair hall, a generous shower room, a separate WC, and a larger walk-in wardrobe serving the bedrooms.

Great attention has been paid to detailing in both the architectural and structural solutions. The horizontal joint between floor elements is resolved with a joint flashing that functions as a separate architectural element and allows for a high level of factory completion of the elements, including façade cladding. Window and door details, as well as connections at external and internal corners, are handled in a minimalist and elegant manner. Large balcony and sliding doors without thresholds, using an easy-access system, ensure comfortable movement between indoor and outdoor spaces.

Structurally, the external walls are built with a 195 + 45 mm timber frame system, while the roof load-bearing structure consists of 80 × 300 mm glued laminated timber beams. The cantilevered second-floor floor element incorporates a steel beam within the element, with particular attention paid to avoiding thermal bridges. The roof is finished with Ruukki Classic C metal roofing, and timber-aluminium windows as well as balcony and sliding doors are used as external openings.

The building services support a modern and comfortable living environment. Heating is provided by an air-to-water heat pump, with underfloor heating installed on both floors. Ventilation is handled by a mechanical system with heat recovery. The electrical solutions are based on a detailed interior architecture project prepared by the client, with lighting carefully integrated into both the building structures and built-in furniture. The building meets energy class B requirements.

Factory installation of the elements, including roof elements, took 6 working days. Final completion of the exterior (roof cladding) and interior (ready for gypsum board finishing) took approximately 20 working days, taking into account coordination with specialist systems and interior finishing details. The entire construction process, from earthworks to final handover, lasted approximately six calendar months.

The result is an architecturally clear, technically well-considered and high-quality prefabricated private house that combines the advantages of factory-built construction, smart structural solutions and a user-centred spatial layout.