Velike Zablje, Slovenia

built, 2020

House 41 is a project for a family house that builds with an existing old house on the small, narrow plot in the culturally protected old village in the Mediterranean part of Slovenia.

The decision was made with the client to protect old stone house, that was family house for generations. However the client wish is to have larger house with more privacy. All requirement proved very difficult to realise in the small plot.

Solution was proposed to retain old house in a form of its mass, stone load bearing walls and include it in the new house as a courtyard, atrium. New structure is build around the old. What was inside becomes outside and what was outside transforms into inside.

Around the atrium the living areas are formed in a way they can communicate with outdoor space as their extension and courtyard becomes double-height multi-functional living room and a garden of the house. In the second floor are sleeping areas and the roof becomes the terrace that compensates small plot with a views to the church, castle and beautiful medieval town on the next hill.

In this way all wishes were successfully resolved in a new, innovative way: larger house with privacy and at the same time, old house walls were saved. The solution with atrium has also references in the old Mediterranean towns from the antiquity.