Inspired by natural stones, Dolmen Shelter is a concept for mini hotel in UK designed by Davit & Mary Jilavyan / LEMEAL Studio.
Architect's statement: One day we were walking near our house and we take a look at landscape design there. We saw the composition made of three stones. We immediately both started to think about this and how can we use it. This is how we came to the idea of this project, We have friends in building sphere so we suggested our project to them so we hope maybe someday this could be real.
image © Davit & Mary Jilavyan
Dolmen Shelter is mini hotel. There are three (it can be more) small stone-shaped houses. We didn't use the idea (that we also had in the very beginnings of this project) of the buildings made from different blocks, we thought it is too standard. We thought that the shape of the stone is better. Everything created by the nature is perfect. People can never achieve that perfection, but we can see and learn from the nature, the greatest creator, So the shape is made of reinforced concrete and faced with plaster imitating natural stone.
image © Davit & Mary Jilavyan
image © Davit & Mary Jilavyan
We are tired of modern house projects which look like aquarium, with four sides of glass, so there are just a couple windows, we didn't want much light to come into the house. Also, there are not very much furniture but enough for comfortable living, A rectangular volume with an entrance space is built into each house.
image © Davit & Mary Jilavyan
We wanted to create an atmosphere of cave case caves are the places where our ancestors all lived, isn’t it interesting to feel that but have all you need to live comfortably? We believe that in such place people could really abstract from the current nervous lifestyles and concentrate on themselves and their inner voices. To give themselves the rest they deserve.
image © Davit & Mary Jilavyan
As you could see in our previous projects, we really love the outdoor lighting. So, we use it here too. This red lighting looks quite ominously, isn’t it? We wanted to create some mysterious atmosphere cause the dolmens are a mystery, their estrangement from everything else is mesmerizing, they attract people. So, we wanted to give our buildings some of these characteristics.
image © Davit & Mary Jilavyan
image © Davit & Mary Jilavyan
image © Davit & Mary Jilavyan
image © Davit & Mary Jilavyan
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