Shoom Room Escape, located on a gentle slope of Fruška Gora mountain (Serbia), is designed as a place of rest, enjoyment, and reconnection with nature. The carefully defined design brief, titled “A House for Rest and Enjoyment,” clearly indicated that the clients had a strong vision of what they wanted. Bringing this vision to life relied on an intensive collaboration between architect and investors, beginning with a deep insight into user needs and culminating in their articulation within the spatial structure. The primary idea was to create a home that enables both physical and mental distance from everyday life: a space filled with tranquility and deeply connected to its natural surroundings. The project’s name, “Shoom Room,” is a pun on the Serbian word šuma (“shooma”), meaning “forest,” reflecting the house’s deep connection with its natural surroundings.

Situated on a spacious plot embraced by greenery, the house unfolds organically along the horizontal plane, following the natural lines of the terrain and seamlessly integrating with the landscape rather than imposing upon it. The main design element is fluid, undulating roofline that visually links the house with its surroundings. This spatial rhythm is a contemporary interpretation of the Japanese concept of engawa – a liminal zone that is neither fully inside nor outside, yet belongs to both. This area is a key identity-forming feature of the house: a subtle transition between exterior and interior, as well as an everyday setting for sitting, meditating, or simply enjoying the landscape.

The materials were carefully chosen to support this narrative. The warmth of wood, used for cladding both vertical and horizontal surfaces, emphasizes tactility and the atmosphere of a retreat. The combination of timber surfaces and smooth white façades creates a harmonious balance between the natural and the architectural. Large glass openings orient the interior toward the yard, turning nature into a constant backdrop for daily life in the house: the user always maintains visual and physical connection with the outdoor space. A compact wooden element on the roof terrace introduces a restrained vertical emphasis, complementing rather than disrupting the predominantly horizontal composition.

The house was designed and built using architect-led design-build method, in which design and construction are integrated into a single creative process. This approach enabled precise control over form and construction details, through continuous coordination among all participants—from concept to completion.

Overall, the project embodies a contemporary reinterpretation of the living retreat: a house designed for rest, a slower rhythm of life, and full harmony with its natural surroundings. The architecture recedes into the landscape, allowing nature itself to take center stage as the primary protagonist of the space.