Baltic Outlook December 2018 | Page 128

PROMO / December Publicity photos successful system it has developed as well as in its professional team. By combining modern technology with natural materials and unusual forms, the Gilė House team is able to build unique houses and exclusively mod- ern, integrated eco-residential areas. An earthly home THE ORGANIC LIFESTYLE – from unique residential areas to pet-house design Founder of the Gilė House Nadežda Stefanova Offering organic housing projects and exclusive interior and exterior design for everything from unique eco-residential areas to homes for pets, Gilė House has created an entirely original lifestyle philosophy. 126 / airBaltic.com In search of inspiration Wishing to escape from their every- day routines, people travel as far as possible to the most distant places on Earth. But what if our home were a place for peace of mind? One of the main goals of Nadežda Stefanova, the creator of the Gilė House concept, is to turn the time we spend in our homes into a time of harmonious restfulness. In order to develop this feeling, unusual spaces are used. ‘Com- ing back home, you’re best able to disconnect from the outside world if your space is different. Unusual shapes are just a tool for creating this feeling of dissociation,’ explains Stefanova, who took inspiration from the biggest European capitals, as well as the Greek island of Santorini, ‘until the feeling crystallised into a plan’. The company was launched in 2011, and since then it has gone through a few transformations. It began by creat- ing green rest areas for healthy, harmo- nious relaxation and eventually grew into the idea of bringing this concept into people’s homes. Gilė House homes take a strong stand in response to the values of consumer society: ‘They’re nothing like what society is offering; they’re free, flowing, and do not have any boundaries,’ says Stefanova. Despite their disobedient nature, these houses are highly practical and convenient. Their design has been thought out to the smallest details: even the house for your pet is built in a way that he will feel most comfortable to live in. The secret is in a modern ap- proach to natural substances: ‘We use only organic materials when building our houses. We’ve learned how to coop- erate with new technology and to use the right substances for implementing architectural forms. We’ve invested a great deal in improving house con- struction,’ says the company’s founder. Today, Gilė House can rejoice in the According to Stefanova, the compa- ny’s homes are not made for showing off. Instead, they present architecture that comes from peacefulness and personal maturity within, architec- ture that goes hand in hand with aesthetics and beauty, architecture that blends perfectly with the envi- ronment yet also catches the eye. It is important to note that Gilė House does not aim to destroy the concept of traditional housing – its goal is to offer an alternative to those seeking to live in a more natural environment. With the help of nontra- ditional architectural decisions, the company also hopes to help develop children’s creativity. Gilė House cre- ates flexible houses for a flexible way of thinking. ‘Creating a fantastic space for your own living, in which you feel great, is not simply a gain but a mission to carry within ourselves and to pass on to our children. When you come to realise your own nature, it seems natural to seek out a space that is not polluted or damaged visually,’ remarks Stefanova. A Gilė House home is a place where nature and humankind meet. But where does this meeting take place? Perhaps we do not think enough about how Earth looked before the emer- gence of all-consuming industrialisa- tion, before humans started to build smoke-spitting factories, jungles of apartment buildings, and giant shop- ping malls. Nature will never be the same as it was before the interference of human beings. Gilė House believes that it is possible to live in nature without harming it. Housing should not be a foreign body to nature – it can exist in harmony with it. ‘Some may think our houses are from another planet, but for me it’s the complete opposite – they’re earthly homes. They have a spectacular, organic architecture that feels at one with nature and creates a beautiful oasis for the eye amongst the boring forms and buildings that are, in fact, strange to our planet,’ says the entrepreneur. Stefanova lives in an organic house herself and notices that it is well ap- preciated not only by humans: ‘The martins make their nests, there are rabbits jumping on the terrace, and even the cranes, who usually do not come near civilisation, drink water from the pond nearby. It means that this house is acceptable to nature and its creations. This is real symbio- sis – nature’s creatures feel comfort- able and are not scared by what has been built.’ Stefanova has previously lived in big cities, and she says the experience was very useful in developing her ideas: ‘I’ve spent a lot of time in a city and have come to understand the con- trast of concrete jungles quite well. It seems that what I’m creating today came from wide range of experience. You have to know one extreme well in order to create an alternative for it.’ gilehouse.com Baltic Outlook / 127