Scaly House features textured pine facades and skylights
Scaly House, designed by Alexander Tischler LLC, is located on a seaside plot in the Tver region, Russiaalong the Volga River. THE home characteristics larch shingles, also known as the shakes, in both facades and the roof. These shingles have a textured surface that will turn silver gray over time, allowing the building to blend in with its surroundings. Their overlapping pattern evokes the scales of a river fish, which informs the design concept of the house.
The building is oriented north to the Volga River, with few south-facing windows. Skylights were incorporated to bring daylight into the living spaces, providing illumination during the day and clearly revealing the night sky in areas removed from urban light pollution.
all visuals by Dimitri Rimss
Alexander Tischler’s layout connects interiors and landscape
The property, located in the Tver region, sits on a waterfront plot bordered by the Volga on one side and a small inlet on the other. Access is via a quiet cul-de-sac, ensuring privacy. The house, capture by architect Alexander Tischler, consists of three main volumes that organize the living spaces: the first contains the kitchen and the living room. The second, the master bedroom with walk-in closet and bathroom. and the third, two children’s bedrooms. Each volume is positioned to capture river and garden views, with windows oriented to frame specific aspects of the landscape.
A central corridor connects the main volumes and incorporates secondary spaces such as an office, guest bedroom, guest bathroom and utility spaces. A large window at the end of the corridor visually extends the interior to the surrounding landscape. The open corridor flows directly into the kitchen-living area, which is designed without doors to enhance continuity and maintain views through the study to the garden.
Private zones, including the bedrooms, are located off the entrance and street, separated from the study and guest suite. Ceilings in the master bedroom, children’s rooms and kitchen-living room reach up to six meters, while skylights further enhance the penetration of daylight. A corner window in the living room frames the confluence of the Volga with the entrance, while the children’s bedrooms are oriented to avoid visual interference with the main living space.
the Scaly House by Alexander Tischler LLC on a plot facing the Volga Sea
The dark facades contrast the bright interiors in a material dialogue
The house presents a dark, windowless frontage to the street, with a minimal fence and shelter for cars and bicycles. This dome extends along a path beyond the study towards the garden and the river. The sections of the facade and the wall next to the entrance are lined with dark porcelain stone, in contrast to the lighter volumes. This differentiation of materials reflects the building’s functional divisions, distinguishing utility spaces from living spaces.
The layout of the kitchen and living room forms a small courtyard that shelters part of the garden from the street, providing a private outdoor space. The interior design was integrated into the architectural process, ensuring a coherent relationship between the spatial layout, material selection and functional requirements. From the riverside, the house evokes a clustered fishing village with a gabled roof, reinforcing the connection between the building and its coastal environment.
facades and roof clad in relief pine shingles
Overlapping shingles causes the scales of a river fish
Access via a quiet cul-de-sac ensures privacy
