Chardak  A chardak (Bulgarian and , "čardak") is an old typical house in the Balkans. It is derived from the word "cardak", which is a component of Ottoman Turkish house design. This term, which is also called "sofa", denotes an open hall of a house's upper living floor. The chardak is timber-framed and usually include a "hayat". The design has been described as "Greek-Oriental," Southern European," and "Mediterranean". It has a fortified ground floor and a wooden upper floor. This dwelling was used as a protective small fort. Chardak can also refer to the space – a part of the central hall area – that connects the rooms of the house.