Transforming an unfinished countryside house into a full-scale mansion requires careful structural analysis, material selection, and design coordination. The reconstruction of a mansion in Dzoraghbyur Village, Armenia, illustrates how architects can add a second floor, integrate a pool pavilion, and upgrade facade materials while respecting the original building footprint. This project began as a one-story rural house with unhewn gray stone cladding and an unfinished attic. Through reconstruction, it became a 1200-square-meter residence with minimalist interiors, travertine cladding, and integrated indoor-outdoor spaces. Understanding architectural design and building envelope principles is essential for any project that adds vertical circulation, new roof loads, and expanded mechanical systems to an existing structure.
Structural Assessment Before Adding a Second Story
Before any vertical addition can proceed, the existing foundation and load-bearing walls must be evaluated. In the Dzoraghbyur project, the original structure was a single-story countryside house with stone-faced walls and an attic under construction. Adding a second floor meant the foundation needed to support roughly double the vertical load plus the new roof structure. Key structural considerations include:
- Foundation capacity – original strip or pad foundations designed for one story may require underpinning or reinforcement before additional weight is applied. Soil bearing capacity at the site must be verified.
- Wall reinforcement – existing stone or masonry walls may need steel or concrete ring beams at the new floor level to distribute loads evenly.
- Lateral stability – adding height increases wind load exposure. Shear walls, cross-bracing, or moment frames must be designed to handle the revised lateral forces.
- Vertical circulation – a new stair core must be integrated, often requiring selective demolition of existing floor slabs and installation of new reinforced openings.
The addition of a second floor also creates an opportunity to reorganize the interior layout. The Dzoraghbyur reconstruction used the expanded footprint to create a wide stairway connecting the two levels, a white-themed living room with honey-colored oak flooring on the ground floor, and private bedroom suites upstairs. Nature-integrated architecture often benefits from vertical reorganization that lifts private functions to upper floors while keeping communal spaces at grade with direct landscape access.
Adding a Separate Building Volume
Beyond the second story, the Dzoraghbyur project included a new attached building volume to house a large indoor pool. This addition was constructed adjacent to the original structure rather than within it, simplifying construction sequencing and allowing the pool structure to have independent foundations, ventilation systems, and moisture control. Pool buildings require specialized attention to humidity management, vapor barriers, and corrosion-resistant materials that differ from standard residential construction.
Floor Area Distribution After Addition
| Zone | Original Area (approx.) | Post-Reconstruction Area | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ground floor living/dining | 350 m² | 450 m² | +100 m² |
| Ground floor kitchen/services | 150 m² | 200 m² | +50 m² |
| Second floor bedrooms | – | 300 m² | +300 m² |
| Indoor pool pavilion | – | 200 m² | +200 m² |
| Circulation/stairs/halls | 100 m² | 150 m² | +50 m² |
| Total | 600 m² | 1,200 m² | +600 m² |
Facade Transformation – From Unhewn Stone to Travertine Cladding
The original facade of the rural house used unhewn gray stone plates – a common material in Armenian countryside construction valued for its availability and low cost. The reconstruction replaced this rustic cladding with slabs of natural travertine, giving the mansion a refined appearance while maintaining a material connection to the local landscape. Travertine is a sedimentary stone with a porous texture that weathers gracefully and provides natural thermal mass.
The decision to modernize the appearance through strict geometric forms represented a deliberate departure from the original rural vernacular. As discussed in architecture and design firm acquisition analyses, the challenge of blending modern forms with traditional construction methods requires close coordination between design teams and local masonry contractors familiar with natural stone installation techniques.
Travertine installation considerations for facade cladding include:
- Filling and sealing – travertine’s natural pores and voids must be filled with cementitious grout or epoxy before installation to prevent water ingress. Unfilled travertine is acceptable for interior use but problematic on exterior facades in freeze-thaw climates.
- Anchoring system – natural stone cladding heavier than 30 kg/m² requires mechanical anchors rather than adhesive-only attachment. Stainless steel undercut anchors or kerf channels are typical for travertine panels.
- Thermal movement joints – travertine expands and contracts with temperature changes. Vertical expansion joints every 8–12 feet prevent cracking.
- Weight loading – full-bed travertine cladding adds approximately 80–100 kg/m² to the facade structure. The supporting wall and foundation must be designed or reinforced for this additional dead load.
Balcony and Pergola Design
A balcony with massive stone railings was constructed above the main entrance. Instead of a solid roof over this balcony, the architects installed pergolas that will support climbing plants over time, creating shade and cooling through natural vegetation. This approach reduces the dead load on the balcony structure compared to a tiled or green roof, while the plants provide evaporative cooling in summer months. The climbing plants also soften the strict geometric facade, introducing organic textures that contrast with the travertine’s regularity.
Minimalist Interior Design for Large-Format Spaces
The interior of the reconstructed mansion follows a minimalist aesthetic, using natural colors drawn from the materials: white, honey oak, travertine, and ceramic. Minimalism in large homes requires discipline – without the constraint of small spaces, designers must resist the temptation to fill volumes with unnecessary elements. The Dzoraghbyur mansion succeeds by letting material quality and proportion carry the design.
Three material zones organize the ground floor:
- Living room – white walls with honey-colored oak flooring create a warm neutral backdrop. The light color scheme maximizes reflected daylight from the large windows.
- Dining area – positioned beside the kitchen, the long dining table anchors this zone. Open circulation around the table allows the space to function for both formal meals and casual gatherings.
- Fireplace zone – ceramic tiles replace the oak flooring here, providing a harder, more heat-resistant surface appropriate for the hearth area. The material change subtly defines this zone within the open plan.
This approach to architectural design – using material changes rather than walls to define spaces – preserves the visual openness that makes large rooms feel connected rather than subdivided. The minimalist palette also simplifies future interior updates, as neutral finishes accommodate changing furniture and art without requiring repainting or refacing.
Staircase as Focal Element
The wide stairway connecting ground and second floors is a prominent architectural element. In minimalist interiors, the staircase becomes the primary sculptural feature. Steel stringers with cantilevered treads, floating glass balustrades, or monolithic concrete stairs are common choices that maintain the clean lines of the surrounding spaces. The Dzoraghbyur stair uses a traditional design with visible treads and risers, finished to match the oak flooring on the ground level.
Indoor Pool Integration and Moisture Management
The indoor pool addition required specific construction detailing to manage the high humidity environment. Indoor pool enclosures face corrosion risks, condensation problems, and structural degradation if not properly detailed. Key systems include:
- Dedicated dehumidification – standard residential HVAC systems cannot handle the moisture load of a swimming pool. A dedicated pool dehumidifier or energy recovery ventilator with humidity sensors maintains relative humidity between 50–60%.
- Vapor barrier – a continuous vapor retarder on the warm side of the building envelope prevents moisture migration into wall cavities.
- Corrosion-resistant materials – stainless steel fasteners, aluminum framing, and non-cellulose insulation prevent degradation from chlorine vapor exposure.
- Sloped drainage – pool surround floors must slope (minimum 2%) toward drains to prevent standing water and slip hazards.
The pool pavilion in the Dzoraghbyur mansion is positioned to provide stress relief and recreation within the home, as described in the project documentation. For projects undertaking single-story mansion design expansions, the pool addition can be planned as a separate wing with independent mechanical systems, simplifying both construction phasing and ongoing operations.
Balcony, Entrance, and Outdoor Transition Spaces
The reconstructed mansion includes a roofed patio near the outdoor area, providing shaded outdoor living space. The balcony above the entrance, with its massive stone railings and pergola supports, creates a strong architectural statement while serving a practical transition function. Climbers trained onto the pergola structure will eventually create a green canopy that shades the entrance and the south-facing balcony.
Outdoor transition spaces in mansion reconstruction projects often receive less attention than interiors, but they significantly affect how occupants experience the building. Historic mansion architecture studies show that well-designed entrance sequences – from property gate to front door – establish expectations for the interior experience. The Dzoraghbyur project uses the pergola-shaded balcony as a mediator between the travertine-clad exterior and the minimalist interior, providing a shaded threshold where visitors pause before entering.
For architects and contractors engaged in historic mansion preservation and design, the Dzoraghbyur reconstruction offers lessons in balancing modern additions with existing rural fabric. The decision to replace rather than preserve the original stone cladding reflects a practical assessment that building performance, weather resistance, and aesthetic cohesion justified the change. Each reconstruction project requires similar trade-off analysis between preservation value and functional improvement.