Inside a Contemporary Urban Villa in Irkutsk Designed Around Light, Space and Stillness

The Silence of Perfection: A Territory of Harmony is a 622m² urban villa in Irkutsk, designed in 2025 by Anna Moroz and Dmitry Galin, founders of Rezeda Architecture Bureau. Conceived alongside its garden, The Territory of Harmony: Screen Garden, the project explores a quieter interpretation of contemporary luxury – one rooted in light, landscape, space, and a sense of inner calm.

The house and garden were designed as a single architectural composition, with each element intended to complement the other. The villa consists of two volumes: the main residence and a freestanding garage. Connecting them is an open gallery, creating a light-filled transition between the buildings while maintaining a sense of openness.

A home organised around sightlines

Inside, the architecture establishes a direct relationship between the exterior and the rooms beyond. The plan is organised around a sequence, creating long, uninterrupted views through the house. The layout is divided into two main zones: private quarters containing the bedrooms, hall and bathroom, and communal spaces comprising the living room, dining area, kitchen, and study.

The house has been developed almost as a gallery. Darker tones in the entrance hall and bedroom add depth and emphasise the straightness of the interior, while windows and glazed doors at either end of the space extend the views beyond the building. Sliding doors allow rooms to open into one another, creating a fluid sequence of spaces.

The adjoining kitchen and dining area were designed as one space. To maintain the refined character of the dining room, the kitchen cabinetry, appliances, and concealed pantry are hidden behind coplanar doors. When closed, they recede into the background, preserving the visual simplicity of the room.

A restrained, neutral palette provides the backdrop for the owners’ collection of paintings. Pale walls, natural parquet flooring and abundant daylight give the interiors a serene quality, while carefully considered lighting draws attention to artworks, decorative objects, and architectural details.

Light, art, and natural materials

In the living room, soft pale tones are paired with natural textures and clean-lined furniture. The space is arranged into two areas: one oriented towards the television and another around the fireplace. Furniture has been positioned to frame views of the intimate courtyard, while a movable ottoman can serve both zones.

The fireplace is a key focal point, with its marble surround inspired by the frozen surface of Lake Baikal in winter. Above, a skylight brings natural light into the room throughout the day.

The husband’s bedroom is arranged across three zones – sleeping, dressing, and a private hall. When its doors are open, the hall becomes the final point of the home’s central sightline. A cascading chandelier provides a focal point from both the bedroom and gallery, while panoramic windows amplify the space.

In contrast, the wife’s bedroom introduces a warmer, more intimate atmosphere. Richly textured textiles and a carefully controlled palette create depth without overwhelming the room. A tree-branch-inspired chandelier shifts from bright illumination to softer lighting that highlights the domed ceiling.

The principal bathroom serves both bedrooms and was designed for two people to use comfortably at once. A long double-use washbasin, garden-facing bathtub, shower, and sauna are complemented by a sculptural light fitting inspired by spring meltwater and cascading ice.

A garden designed for relaxation

The landscape is central to the experience of the villa. At its heart is a secluded inner courtyard inspired by Japanese gardens, produced as a calm space for contemplation.

The wider Screen Garden creates a gradual transition from the enclosed entrance to a more open, layered landscape. Willows, birches and conifers form a natural perimeter, providing privacy and reducing noise without creating a sense of enclosure.

Stone paths and walkways connect the different areas of the garden, while clipped hedges, planting and composed groups of vegetation create changing views as visitors move through the grounds. Further into the garden, apple trees, currants, gooseberries, and blueberries add to its character.

A pond forms the garden’s principal artistic feature, its appearance shifting with changing light, weather, and seasons.

For Rezeda Architecture Bureau, the project demonstrates a contemporary understanding of luxury that is less about excess and more about experience: waking to silence, looking onto greenery, and having the freedom to experience all the light and space.

Credits

Architects: Anna Moroz and Dmitry Galin, Rezeda Architecture Bureau

Project team: Anna Moroz, Dmitry Galin, Ilya Ponomarev, Dmitry Sapachev, and Yulia Medvedeva

Photography: Arkady Ivanov