On the outskirts of Vilnius in Lithuania, stands an exceptional villa. Despite its dramatic natural surroundings, the expanses of Kebony wood on the roof, walls and terraces are immediately striking.

“We wanted to build a home representing both us as individuals and the natural surroundings. Kebony is the only Material that ticks all the boxes for the environment, the architecture, dependability and comfort for our family, and our personal design preferences. It really is a unique wood product,” says home-owner Adam Zadeika.

For Adam and his family, the main advantage of Kebony is that the facade and Terrace stand up to any conditions, year on year, and that the material is maintenance-free aside from basic cleaning.

Eco-friendly and striking

The dream of Arūnas Liola, an architect with the Arches practice, was to design a home that was both eco-friendly and striking in appearance. He aspired to achieve that with a combination of natural materials and bold geometry. It was also essential for the building to harmonise with the natural surroundings.

The result is an outstanding, stylish villa with a multi-angled pitched roof clad in 650 m2 Kebony wood, surrounding by an imposing green pine forest. Over time, the dark wood will transition to a beautiful silvery shade of grey, with the same exclusive appearance season after season.

Versatile, high-grade material

Arches frequently uses Kebony in its projects both for its sustainability and the quality and unique properties of the wood, which make it extremely durable and versatile to work with.

“Kebony makes creativity fun, because it offers endless options. It’s also a great advantage to be able to use the same material as both cladding and decking. This is what makes this residence so unique and consistent – the natural transitions,” says architect Arūnas Liola.

Award-winning use of Kebony

The architects at Arches have garnered both acclaim and admiration for the natural villa project.

In 2017, they won the magazine Architect’s prestigious Residential Architect Design Award for their focus on sustainable technology through the use of Kebony.

In the following year, the villa also won Surface Design Awards’ ‘Sustainable Exterior Surface’ award for the environment-friendly and aesthetic Kebony cladding.

Popular choice for terrace decking

Kebony is known as an ideal material for terrace decking, and the exclusive silvery patina is much-coveted. Kebony is a durable wood product that also resists solar radiation in summer. Moreover, it is resistant to fungus and rot and comes with no less than a 30-year warranty on exterior applications.

Factors to consider before designing and building a terrace:

1. Applications: What will the terrace be used for, and by whom? Example: if children will be running around and playing on the terrace, you want a material that doesn’t chip and scorch bare feet. With children, you also need to avoid chemicals and toxins in the wood.

2. Weather conditions: What kind of weather conditions will the terrace have to withstand? Is it going to be situated by the waterfront or in the mountains? If you want a sundeck, you need to consider how the material you choose will react to years of sun. If you are planning to leave it exposed and unroofed, you need to pick a material that withstands both rain and frost.

3. Maintenance-free: Consider the value of going for a maintenance-free material, and the cost in time and money of not doing so! It’s often a great investment to opt for a high-grade material with a long life that makes no demands of you.

4. Environment: Are sustainable materials a priority for you? Do you check the origin of the wood products you purchase so as to prevent felling of vulnerable forest around the world? Do you prioritise local sourcing to avoid long-distance emissions-intensive transportation?

5. Design and comfort: Do you want your terrace to have an exclusive or natural appearance to blend with your home and the natural setting, or do you want it to stand out and make a statement? Consider all parts of the whole, and what it will take for you to value your terrace for season after season and many years to come.