In a rural area of central Ukraine, a small group of buildings rises with a silhouette that is at once solid and light, reminiscent of a traditional hat or a generously sized mushroom. These are the guest lodgings known as “Under the Reed Roof”, a project by the architecture studio YOD Group that draws on vernacular memory to quite literally build the house from the roof down.
Indeed, the inspiration for this project lies in traditional Ukrainian architecture, particularly in the rural dwelling known as the mazanka. From it, essential features are adopted, such as whitewashed walls, a green roof and a distinctive layout. However, rather than simply reproducing these elements, the team led by architect Volodymyr Nepyivoda interprets them in its own way. What was once a solid wall becomes here a glazed surface that seeks light and visual clarity. And what was once a thatched roof is now expanded into the project’s defining gesture.
The result is an architecture with a simple plan and a complex section. On a ground floor that houses a functional concrete core — with the bathroom as its central element — two wings unfold: one for the bedroom, the other for the main living area. The roof, however, does more than simply cover; it envelops, protects and, above all, defines the space. Its interior face is clad in wooden slats that evoke traditional tiles. Moreover, the 10-metre height at its highest point creates a surprising sense of spaciousness within a surface area of just 50 m².
During the day, the roof appears to float above the landscape, as if suspended, resting on glass façades that almost disappear. The floor, finished with a continuous layer of bonded aggregate — identical inside and around the exterior perimeter — reinforces spatial continuity. When privacy is desired, automated curtains enclose the space.
The interior is developed through a restrained colour palette, dominated by natural tones and tactile surfaces. Furnishings by the brand Noom appear alongside black ceramic pieces from Guculiya and a large-format lamp made of natural fibres and ceramic, which serves as a sculptural element in the bedroom. A fireplace with a circular opening occupies the centre of the space, echoing the traditional Ukrainian stove.
Thermal comfort is achieved through an aerothermal system integrated into the architecture itself. Air outlets are concealed within linear slots in the central core and in the roof, maintaining the clarity of the surfaces.
Completed in 2026, the project is the result of a line of work that YOD Group describes as “terroir design”. It is not simply about using local materials or juxtaposing familiar forms, but about tracing and embodying the cultural meanings of a place within a contemporary architectural object. From our perspective, this objective has been achieved — and in an exceptionally refined manner, with a sense of taste and balance that has led us to select the project and present it here.
Source and images: YOD Group.
