Ezgi Polat Evi

Polonezköy, IstanbulEzgi Polat

A family house written in two materials — local stone for the ground floor, vertical larch for the bedrooms above — placed quietly under the canopy of an existing pine forest.

A restrained family house defined by vertical timber cladding and stone within a pine forest.

Location: Polonezköy, Istanbul
Client: Ezgi Polat

Project Narrative

Front elevation of villa under overcast sky framed by pine trees

01Concept

We were asked for a house that would not feel like a clearing — one that read as part of the forest rather than something inserted into it. The two-storey volume sits low and wide, with a flat roof that lines up with the lowest tree branches.

Side view emphasising timber slat facade and recessed entrance

02Design Process

Each pine on site was surveyed and the building footprint was drawn around the most significant trees. Bedrooms were oriented to receive filtered morning light, while the deepest part of the plan opens onto a sheltered north terrace for hot summer evenings.

Detail of stone base meeting timber cladding at the upper floor

03Execution

The stone was sourced from a quarry forty kilometres from the site so the colour would match the local geology. Larch boards on the upper level were left untreated to silver naturally — the house will look more like the forest with every year.

Approach view through trees with villa illuminated from within

04Outcome

From the access road the house barely registers — only when a kitchen window glows do you realise that someone lives there. That quietness is what the family asked for, and what the architecture delivers without compromise.