House and boutique apartments Solčava

A family purchased a piece of land in Solčava with the desire to establish a small boutique tourism offering while also building their own home on it. On the plot, they were greeted by a neglected residential house, a stone-wooden agricultural building, and a beautifully situated linden tree. The area is located on the southern side of a narrow valley, making sunlight a precious commodity.

The settlement pattern of the valley typically runs parallel to the Savinja River and consequently, the road. We took this into account, emphasizing the rhythm of the buildings with offsets. These offsets are meant to create intimacy between the structures and position a small square around the linden tree, which extends into a platform with an ecological pool that transforms into a skating rink in the winter. On the side where the buildings have panoramic glazing, we created additional intimacy by modifying the elevation of the terrain.

In designing the individual houses, our focus was on introducing natural light into the structures. The residential house has skylights along its entire length, both at the ridge and above the eaves, and its upper floor does not extend to the edges of the house, allowing natural light to freely penetrate. The apartment house "chalet" features two glazed duplex apartments on the upper floor, and its terraces have spaced wooden facades, allowing morning and evening light into the apartments. The three boutique "chalets" have glazing across their entire southern sides, and their interiors are designed as a "loft" around a staircase, which, with its double steps, becomes a space for sitting and socializing.

Facing the road, the buildings are designed with restraint, preserving the memory of the existing architecture and harmonizing with local architectural styles. On the southern side, which remains hidden to visitors at first glance, they are met with contemporary design, offering an intriguing living experience.