A roundwood and straw bale home sitting inside an old stone barn.

  
   
       
 
 
 

This is Luke Gavlovský's art studio and home built in the shell of an old stone hay barn in Výžerky, Czech Republic. Luke is a sculptor of wood who has also sculpted the barn to serve two functions; provide a home for his family and space for him to create his wood art. His work place is literally only a step away from his home.

The home protrudes (below right) from the barn's south wall where the its old stone wall had collapsed.
   
       

The main living space is about 6.5 x 8 m (21 x 26 ft) and 5m (16+ ft) high with a mezzanine bedroom. The house is built from spruce and pine logs and insulated with straw bales (below left). The walls are plastered with clay on both sides. The second space, which forms the bathroom, is more organic growing from the ground in the shape of a kidney (see the architect's drawing below) and dressed in thin wooden planks. The house, built by Luke with volunteers, was designed by architect Oliver Kálnássy. A Finnish wood burning stove keeps the house warm.