FunderMax North America Inc.

Floating Blocks / Toth Project Architect Office

Designing one-family houses or cottages presents significant challenges for both clients and architects, as layouts and functional connections must reflect the daily habits and lifestyles of the family before considerations like façade and aesthetics. Our office won the design competition for this four-story villa in Budapest’s District II, and the clients’ complete trust allowed us full creative freedom—they simply asked to see in reality what they had admired in the visual plans. Despite working with an unfamiliar contractor, the villa was completed in just eight months on a narrow, steeply sloping plot. The building is composed of horizontally shifted volumes per floor: the ground floor, partially cantilevered over the slope, creates an intimate living space, while the white upper cube floats above a darker, road-facing base and opens fully to southern views. The top floor, a recessed black-box volume, offers panoramic vistas of Buda. The 300-square-meter interior is rational and economical, with no wasted space, yet every room maintains a warm, familiar atmosphere. The playful massing, consoles, walls, and floating lofts add elegance without extravagance. Interior spaces are clearly organized: the cellar houses a guest bedroom and service areas; the first floor contains living, dining, kitchen, and playroom; the second floor accommodates children’s and parents’ bedrooms; and the top floor provides a serene retreat with panoramic views. The villa balances variety with restraint, achieving both richness and moderation in design, massing, and interior character.