Slovakia

Nestled at the foot of Zobor hill, Villa Vicus embraces its sloped terrain with quiet confidence. Rather than climbing for a view or squeezing into a narrow lot, this one-story home stretches effortlessly across the plot, unfolding a series of interconnected volumes beneath a continuous timber pergola. From each room, the view opens generously toward the south – revealing Nitra Castle, Calvary Hill, and the city below. This was the client’s primary wish: to see the castle from every living space.

The design responds with radical clarity. No dramatic gestures, no over-articulated symbolism. Just a thoughtfully organized home where material and form resonate with honesty. Spruce wood beams create a structural and visual rhythm that bridges interior and exterior spaces. The same travertine stone lines both the living area and the terrace, while open beams, clay plaster walls, and a rain chain instead of a gutter subtly communicate the project’s ethos: raw, durable, unpretentious architecture.

Despite its modest size (160 m²), the house feels expansive. Its layout includes a main bedroom, two children’s rooms, shared living space, two bathrooms, utility rooms, and a summer kitchen. At the rear, a curved wall emerges – not from necessity, but as an aesthetic gesture that visually anchors the pergola. These decisions speak to the architect’s restrained approach: no need for grand metaphors when proportion and logic suffice.

Set at the end of a road with forest above and no risk of development below, the house claims its place calmly. There’s space for a recessed pool, a fire pit, and pine trees frequented by local deer. Even so, neighbors sometimes assume it is far larger or more extravagant than it truly is. Perhaps because the house does not hide – it stands with a quiet self-assurance, waiting to be wrapped in vines.

To live here, says the owner simply, “feels good.” There are no statements to decode, no forced ideologies. Villa Vicus is not trying to impress. It just works – and that is its power.

Architects: Sebastian Nagy Architects, s.r.o.
Design Team: Sebastian Nagy and Martina Pulmanova
Client: Private
Photographers: Tomas Manina