Holiday house, weekend cottage, second home: all are countryside shelters for the urban man. A place where we can escape the noise of the city, where we have the opportunity to relax, get away from the daily grind. These places can be ultra-modern or just follow the architectural traditions of the past. However, in terms of their function, they are very similar: they provide security, space for relaxation and retreat. In Hungary and in the Eastern European region, in addition to the beautiful ancient villas, you can find many modern holiday homes based on the traditions typical of the area. In our selection today, we have collected our favorites from these.
Swiss villas on the shores of Lake Balaton
The so-called chalet, that is a Swiss-type villa, was a very popular type of building not only in the naming country, but also in Hungary in the 19th century. We can also find beautiful villa buildings around Lake Balaton that shine in their old splendor. In addition to Keszthely, Balatonfüred and Bélatelep in Fonyód, impressive buildings have survived in Hűvösvölgy, and in their sophisticated details they still faithfully preserve the architectural values of the past.
Modern wooden houses in Austria
Swiss-type villas have enjoyed the greatest popularity in the Alpine region, so it comes as no surprise that this type of building is extremely common in our Austrian neighbors to this day. Originally a summer shelter for mountain shepherds, the wooden chalet is still very popular in the area. Mountain cottages that spice up local traditions with a modern twist follow.
Dacha, the lost charm of the Soviet Union
Dachas, which are holiday homes located near big cities but at the same time looking back on the historical past, were in use for several months of the year. These buildings typical in Russia and the former Soviet Union can still be found in post-Soviet countries today.
Our modernist type holiday homes
We head again to Lake Balaton, where the architecture of the lake shore still preserves its thousand faces. In addition to the villas of the bygone era, cheap buildings, often of inadequate quality and aesthetics, were massively built in the last century. From the sixties and seventies onwards, architects and experts worked together to somewhat unify the architectural identity of the coast by designing standard holiday houses. Such typical holiday homes were the weekend houses of Miklós Hofer named Tátika and Tulipán (snapdragon and tulip), which can remind us of the five points of the famous French architect Le Corbusier. In addition to Lake Balaton, you can also explore stilt houses on the shores of Lake Velence.
Forest villages in the deep wilderness
In a breathtaking environment, in dense forests, far from the cities, we find perhaps the most special holiday complexes in Slovenia, the forest villages. Simple shapes, plenty of wood and glass surfaces make these buildings really modern and timeless.
Source: Építészfórum, Wikipedia, slovenia.info
Photos: Attila Gulyás, chocolatevillage, theodosius, designboom, cosyneve