Perched at a tranquil edge of Banka village in Slovakia’s Trnava Region, the Banánka House merges minimalist clarity with a grounded silhouette. Designed by architects Martin Paulíny and Braňo Hovorka of Paulíny Hovorka Architects, the single-storey home unfolds in a Y-shaped plan that opens out into its rugged, boulder-strewn landscape. Organised around a central living space, the layout offers each wing a sense of privacy while maintaining strong visual and spatial ties to the outdoors. Large glazed walls stretch along significant portions of the house, which, as per the studio, “allows the melancholic atmosphere of the rock garden, flowing stream, pond and tall surrounding trees to flow right into the interior.”

The name ‘Banánka’ comes from the Slovak word, which refers to a female resident of the village of Banka. Naming the project that touches on the domestic spirit of the programme while paying tribute to its geographical and cultural roots.

The home is accessed by a narrow asphalt road that transitions into a forested path leading into the Považský Inovec mountains. A stream flanks one edge, bordered by a dense forest that provides natural privacy. Mature trees and a green roof frame the former garden plot, creating an ideal setting for a home centred on contemplation and relaxation. The site’s layered terrain and existing vegetation were preserved and integrated into the design, shaping everything from the building’s orientation to its outdoor spaces.

The home is organised in a Y-shaped floor plan with three wings that extend outward at 120-degree angles. While preserving the existing trees on the site, the architectural form divides the garden into intimate segments where each room enjoys its own view. The restrained horizontal form creates a silhouette that feels rooted and unobtrusive amid the surrounding greenery.

The material palette reflects a commitment to durability and natural aesthetics. Exposed concrete sculpt load-bearing walls, exterior columns and ceilings. The structure features gabion walls: wire mesh frames filled with crushed stone that continue from the building’s exterior into select interior spaces. In contrast, thermally modified pine cladding is used to finish the walls, ceilings and terraces, balancing the roughness with warmth. Further, engineered oak flooring and slim aluminium-framed windows render warmth and modern elegance to the spaces.

At the heart of the residential design is a central living hall, a multifunctional space combining the kitchen, dining and living areas. Windows feature ultra-slim frames and can be fully retracted into wall pockets to maximise the visual and spatial connection with the outdoors. Hidden doors are integrated into cladding and plastered surfaces, adding to the hall's sleek and cohesive design. A glass-enclosed wine room and a stone heat-retaining fireplace anchor the space, whereas large sliding glass walls open onto a covered terrace with a summer kitchen and grill.

This merging of indoor-outdoor realm is enabled by two expansive sliding glass facades, which, as Paulíny tells STIR, posed one of the most significant technical challenges. As he explains, “The junction sits where two wings meet without any vertical supports, which made structural deflection a major concern; especially with the glass. On top of that, the ceiling is thermally broken and each façade wing retracts in a different direction, requiring distinct insulation strategies. It was a real technical challenge, solved with motorised sliding walls by Otiima."  

Furthermore, the interior design mirrors the three-winged shape of the house, each wing branching out from a central core that anchors the entire design. The smallest, north-facing wing houses the entrance, storage and utility rooms with an extended roof forming a carport and covered entryway. The southeast wing includes three smaller bedrooms, a shared bathroom and a multipurpose room that can be used as a study and meditation space. The southwest wing is dedicated to the master suite, featuring a bedroom with a walk-in wardrobe, a bathroom and a sauna. The wellness area connects to a smaller terrace with a tub and a cooling plunge pool adjacent to the stream.

Water emerges as a recurring theme in the design, weaving through the project as a symbol of life and tranquillity. The nearby stream provides a calming presence, its movement mirrored in the carefully positioned plunge pool and hot tub, which act as focal points for relaxation and enhance the sensory experience. Together, these elements frame the residential architecture within a narrative of flow and continuity.

When STIR asked how the design responds to Slovakia’s seasonal changes, especially in a home that opens freely to the outdoors during summer, Paulíny says, “The house is designed and built to meet Slovakia’s highest energy standard; Class A0. While the exact details are part of the studio’s know-how, the bigger challenge nowadays is not winter but summer. Here, the mature garden and the house’s massive concrete structure play a crucial role in keeping the interiors cool. External shading and generous roof overhangs above the living terrace further enhance thermal comfort. Importantly, the house operates without any mechanical cooling, while aligning with our commitment to sustainable living.”

The project also incorporates subtleties that enhance daily living. For instance, the alignment of the Y-shaped wings allows sunlight to flood key spaces throughout the day while preserving shade where needed. This balance creates an ever-changing interplay of light and shadow, making the interior feel alive and connected to the rhythms of nature. The orchestration of sunlight within the layout adds a dynamic quality to the living experience, enriching the home’s atmosphere without artificial embellishments.

The architects approached the design’s minimalism to counter the richness of the surrounding landscape. In their view, adding complexity to the architecture would have competed with nature rather than complementing it. Instead, the personality emerges not through ornamentation, but “through the raw, even brutalist materiality of the building".

The Banánka House, with its inherent attention to simplicity, aligns with its natural setting in a way that feels inevitable yet inspiring. It reminds us that true comfort lies not in extravagance but in the thoughtful embrace of what matters most.

Project Details

Name of the project: Banánka House
Location: Banka, Slovakia
Studio: Paulíny Hovorka Architects
Architect: Braňo Hovorka, Martin Paulíny
Co-Architect: Natália Galko Michalová
Design team: Veronika Ivanovičová, Lenka Kopfová, Radovan Krajňak
Built-up area: 416 sqm
Structural engineer: Pavol Hubinský
Landscape architect: Martin Sučič
Completion year:2024