Architecture

Black Magic House built quicker than you can say "Abracadabra"

Black Magic House built quicker than you can say "Abracadabra"
T2.a Architects' Black Magic House (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
T2.a Architects' Black Magic House (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
View 29 Images
Black Magic House is located in a forest on the outskirts of Budapest (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
1/29
Black Magic House is located in a forest on the outskirts of Budapest (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
The house boasts beautiful views of the Hungarian forest (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
2/29
The house boasts beautiful views of the Hungarian forest (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
Black Magic House is constructed from inexpensive building materials (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
3/29
Black Magic House is constructed from inexpensive building materials (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
T2.a Architects' Black Magic House (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
4/29
T2.a Architects' Black Magic House (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
The entire process from sending off the digital plans to completing the structure took merely a week (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
5/29
The entire process from sending off the digital plans to completing the structure took merely a week (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
Despite its moniker, Black Magic House appears to contain no goat heads or sacrificial altars, but instead offers a tasteful interior (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
6/29
Despite its moniker, Black Magic House appears to contain no goat heads or sacrificial altars, but instead offers a tasteful interior (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
The laminated wood lends the interior an unfinished but appealing look (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
7/29
The laminated wood lends the interior an unfinished but appealing look (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
The house was covered with a simple black UV-resistant facade membrane (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
8/29
The house was covered with a simple black UV-resistant facade membrane (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
Black Magic House is constructed from inexpensive building materials (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
9/29
Black Magic House is constructed from inexpensive building materials (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
Black Magic House is based in a forest on the outskirts of Budapest (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
10/29
Black Magic House is based in a forest on the outskirts of Budapest (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
The house was covered with a simple black UV-resistant facade membrane (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
11/29
The house was covered with a simple black UV-resistant facade membrane (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
The entire process from sending off the digital plans to completing the structure took merely a week (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
12/29
The entire process from sending off the digital plans to completing the structure took merely a week (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
The house was built in just two days (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
13/29
The house was built in just two days (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
Black Magic House is heated by a wood stove and fireplace, with fuel provided by the nearby woods (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
14/29
Black Magic House is heated by a wood stove and fireplace, with fuel provided by the nearby woods (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
The house boasts beautiful views of the Hungarian forest (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
15/29
The house boasts beautiful views of the Hungarian forest (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
The house was covered with a simple black UV-resistant facade membrane (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
16/29
The house was covered with a simple black UV-resistant facade membrane (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
The house was built in just two days (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
17/29
The house was built in just two days (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
Black Magic House is based in a forest on the outskirts of Budapest (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
18/29
Black Magic House is based in a forest on the outskirts of Budapest (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
The entire process from sending off the digital plans to completing the structure took merely a week (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
19/29
The entire process from sending off the digital plans to completing the structure took merely a week (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
Black Magic House is constructed from inexpensive building materials (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
20/29
Black Magic House is constructed from inexpensive building materials (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
Black Magic House is heated by a wood stove and fireplace, with fuel provided by the nearby woods (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
21/29
Black Magic House is heated by a wood stove and fireplace, with fuel provided by the nearby woods (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
The house was covered with a simple black UV-resistant facade membrane (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
22/29
The house was covered with a simple black UV-resistant facade membrane (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
Black Magic House is constructed from inexpensive building materials (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
23/29
Black Magic House is constructed from inexpensive building materials (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
The house was built in just two days (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
24/29
The house was built in just two days (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
Black Magic House is based in a forest on the outskirts of Budapest (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
25/29
Black Magic House is based in a forest on the outskirts of Budapest (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
The Black Magic House (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
26/29
The Black Magic House (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
Architectural plans of the Black Magic House (Image: T2.a Architects)
27/29
Architectural plans of the Black Magic House (Image: T2.a Architects)
Architectural plans of the Black Magic House (Image: T2.a Architects)
28/29
Architectural plans of the Black Magic House (Image: T2.a Architects)
Architectural plans of the Black Magic House (Image: T2.a Architects)
29/29
Architectural plans of the Black Magic House (Image: T2.a Architects)
View gallery - 29 images

Located on the edge of a forest near Budapest, the prefabricated Black Magic House by T2.a Architects is, as its name suggests, both black and a house. The "magic" part? The home's basic structure was built in just two days, and the entire process – from sending off the digital plans to receiving the prefab parts and completing the structure – took only a week.

Like the similar Espinar House we recently reported on, Black Magic House is constructed from inexpensive building materials, in this case prefabricated laminated timber panels. This lends the interior a somewhat unfinished look, but judging from the gallery photos, it's in keeping with the natural theme of such a rural home, and despite the moniker there's nary a goat's head nor sacrificial altar in sight.

Black Magic House is heated by a wood stove and fireplace, with fuel provided by the nearby woods, thus potentially offering a sustainable source of fuel, depending on how the owners harvest the wood.

The laminated wood lends the interior an unfinished but appealing look (Photo: Zsolt Batár)
The laminated wood lends the interior an unfinished but appealing look (Photo: Zsolt Batár)

To offer additional protection against the colder winter months, the property was covered with a black UV-resistant membrane which is waterproof, and lends the home its color. T2.a Architects also reckons a second layer of black wooden panels may be a necessary addition in the future.

Construction was completed in 2012, and the process of building the basic structure is detailed in the brief video below.

Source: T2.a Architects via Arch Daily

The Truck Crane in the Woods

View gallery - 29 images
5 comments
5 comments
Dennis Siple
Now, that's a manufactured home done right.
Robyn Kiriko Takami
I like the home's simple design, it's prefab construction means less labor costs too.
The Skud
Looks quite functional, don't know about that 'open plan' bathroom though, a hunter/voyeur in the woods could have fun with a decent scope. My main concern is that flat roof ... I wonder exactly how much weight of snow it can withstand? Or does the homeowner climb a ladder and sweep it off?
Lewis M. Dickens III
Way too many Pieces.
I suspect that the time quoted was only the erection time.
There is the clearing, grubbing, stumping, chipping, grading, foundation excavation and casting, masonry base to be accounted for and prefabrication time as well.
It took far longer than what said. Four thunks for that.
The design is very pleasant. Coal tar pitch on the roof will keep it dry and cozy for a long time.
Bill
James Turner
What was the cost of the finished home not including land.