These guesthouses, which are situated on a private estate in central Ukraine, provide a modern take on the classic Ukrainian mazanka, the quintessential country residence molded by regional materials, climate, and customs.

Named Hata-Mazanka, the 50-square-metre houses were designed by Kyiv-based design studio YOD Group. 

Thick whitewashed walls, thatched roofs, and frequent plastering as an act of care and an aim toward order and beauty are examples of basic yet expressive solutions that led to the evolution of traditional Ukrainian vernacular architecture.

This search for light and cleanliness is reflected in the YOD Group's modern take on traditional Ukrainian Hata-Mazanka, which features totally transparent glass façades. The project's main architectural gesture is the purposefully large roof.

Its sculptural shape creates a powerful, instantly identifiable silhouette that resembles both an enormous mushroom growing from the landscape and a classic tall hat.

"Our philosophy of terroir design goes beyond working with local materials or familiar forms - it is about uncovering the essence of a place and decoding its cultural meanings," explained Volodymyr Nepiyvoda, co-owner and managing partner of YOD Group. 

"We studied the image of the traditional Ukrainian house, distilled its core characteristics, and reinterpreted them through our own lens to create a contemporary architectural object," Nepiyvoda explained.

Transparent boundaries between interior and landscape

The bathroom is located in a central concrete block that serves as the functional center of the spatial arrangement. The living room and bedroom are on either side. The living room features a minimalist fireplace, a contemporary reference to the traditional Ukrainian stove.

It is a conscious decision to not have a television. Maintaining continuous visual contact with the surrounding landscape and observing the live flame through the fireplace's circular opening promotes emotional healing and informational detoxification.

The enormous thatched roof appears to float above the landscape during the daytime due to the optically dissolving totally glazed façades. 

The floor is finished with a continuous stone carpet both inside and outside, which is pleasant to the touch and provides a gentle massage-like sensation when barefoot.

The landscape becomes a crucial component of the emotional experience because of the continuous glazing, which heightens the feeling of being in nature. A control panel by the bed allows guests to automatically close thick yet visually light curtains when they desire seclusion.

Eco-minimalism with a local accent

The interior design adheres to contemporary eco-minimalism. A peaceful, unified atmosphere is produced by a limited, natural color scheme, a wide range of tactile surfaces, and items made by Ukrainian companies.

Noom's furnishings, Guculiya's black clay décor, and textured wooden accents abound in the room. A giant custom-made floor light composed of natural fibers and ceramics is one of the main bedroom elements, bringing warmth and a sculpture-like appearance.

Engineering embedded in architecture

The roof dome's interior is covered in wooden tiles that are reminiscent of the traditional wooden shingles that have historically been used on Ukrainian roofs. 

The dome, which rises to a height of 10 meters at its peak, improves the feeling of openness and verticality while keeping all engineering systems completely hidden, leaving the walls looking tidy and uninterrupted.

All year long, a heat pump system keeps the inside temperature reasonable. Operating through discrete linear slots in vertical grilles and exhaust outlets embedded into the dome and central core, the covert air conditioning system is integrated with supply ventilation. 

Floor plan

YOD Group cladded the walls of a pastry shop in eggshell plaster in Lviv, Ukraine. In addition, the studio completed the transformation of an old mansion into a restaurant with copper bridge that complements the history of the building in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Project facts

Project name: Hata-Mazanka

Architecture and design: YOD Group

Team: Volodymyr Nepyivoda, Dmytro Bonesco, Natalia Tymochesko, Yana Rogozhinska

Location: One of the central regions of Ukraine

Area: 50m2

Year: 2026

Furniture: Noom

All images © Mykhailo Lukashuk.

Drawing © YOD Group.

> via YOD Group

guest house reed roof thatched roof YOD Group