Hello dear ones,
As promised, this week I will write a narrative of my interview with Ognyan, whose family was our host during our stay in Mezek.
I started the interview by asking him about the moment they decided and why their family chose a village lifestyle. He told me that even before, when they used to life in the big cities with his wife, they were always nature oriented and lived more alternatively, and what is today considered alternative was once universal, and slowly we should all be aiming towards living a life that is more connected to nature. They decided to raise their children in a village and not in a city because the cities tend to be polluted, and the lifestyle there is more stressful. There are some pluses to living in a city such as better economic lifestyle, but with the technology we have today, we don’t have to be all packed up in the big cities.
Through the years before they started their house they visited few places build with natural materials, that were a big inspiration for them. Ognyan also took a course for building with natural materials, and in the course he visited one of the first houses in Bulgaria that were built in this way. He said that when he saw the house, it felt like celebration and healing of the soul, and this was a big sign that gave a direction in his life. The ecological house is a continuation of nature, he said, even when you are inside you are still in nature, when in the modern infrastructure this is not the case, but being super strict can backfire sometimes. The first eco-house he went to help with, the owners put a concrete foundation, which was a big surprise to him, but then he realized that we need to find the balance with the modern and natural, so what when we create, we can be more efficient as well.
He has spent a lot of time learning the theory of natural building but when it comes to the practical part, he shared that you learn by your mistakes and make your own model of working, because there is a lot of information and it is very diverse. The process of eco-building makes you think and connect with the materials you are using, and be more conscious in every step. In it, you are both the creator and the user (the consumer), and this built you up and gives you an immense freedom. You grow together with the house. Even though it is more difficult in a way, it gives you much more than just using the modern ways and materials to build.
The house they live in now and have renovated with natural materials is a heritage from his great-grandmother, and this was a big reason that they chose exactly this place, as well as the great oak tree right behind their house. As Ognyan said: “You need to work with what you have, and make the best out of it, especially if your roots are connected to that place.” He has renovated all the walls in the house with clay, that comes with from their backyard. Clay is a wonderful material because it is breathable, but it best used with isolation, so it can be more heat efficient. For heating during the winter, they use a rocket stove. In one of the walls, he has built in many glass bottles that serve both as decoration and a night light. The ceiling is made with reed panels that have the same temperature coefficient as the mineral wool, and gives a beautiful esthetic touch. The bathroom is with tadelakt. It was his first experience with the technique, and he was learning while doing it, even though he took a course in tadelakt actually doing a whole room had its ups and downs, but the end result is worth it. The furniture in the house is made from wood, as well as the floors in the bedroom and the living room/kitchen. In the bedroom the wood tiles that are in the form of bee cells, are glued together with sawdust and fluorescent glue, which gives a fairy tale look during the night. Of course, he mentioned that in order to save the wood material from being destroyed, he used some chemical wood varnish.
Ognyan sees their place to be open for like-minded people that share the vision for a lifestyle that is in service of nature. He has many great plans of what more can be done with the house, some other constructions and the garden. Personally, I can’t wait to see what the future brings to their place, because from what I saw so far it is very inspiring.
Love,
Marija
