.... Slovenia ... Matej Gašperič

Matej Gašperič, Biro Gašperič, Moravce, Slovenia : Glenn Murcutt Master Class 2011 : Deerubbin Conference 2016

[ private house : rural : timber structure : timber wall panels ]

A House for the Best Years, Trata at Velesovo, Slovenia, Europe

he house was designed to be a perfect home for an 'experienced' couple and their list of expectations and personal preferences. With the kids all grown up, the parents namely returned to being a couple. The kids will be back of course, but now only as visitors.

The house lies on a slope beneath the mountains where the village’s outer edges tissues have grown into the greenery of meadows and fields. The house puts an end to one of the stellar limbs of the village’s layout. It thoughtfully merges the pointy ridges of the mountains and the typical Alpine roofs into a smooth gradation of flat surfaces that reflect the ground plan. On the eastern end of the site a splash of intense green indicates a nearby brook. There’s also a lonely linden tree bowing its crown in the prevailing direction of the wind. Everything here heads south.

The visually potent combination of pastoral romantics and more contemporary approaches are in tune with the rural setting yet still obey the owners’ passion for life in the present. An ancient device – a forged peacock on the rooftop – dutifully indicates the wind direction, while a traditional stretch of the pattern of hayracks remains firmly in place, copied onto the structure of the facade. These, along with many other details, reinterpret wisdoms and ways long gone and are carefully adopted in accordance with contemporary materials, construction strategies and, of course, new ways of living.

This one-directional site led to the creation of the non-conflicting stream of the house’s volume. It is long and thin. The house humbly follows the natural slope but does not get higher at any point. It keeps its volume proportion fixed in its height all the way up, giving it a distinctive, unique look. The local architectural heritage, rich in both quality and quantity, was respected on all levels throughout the entire design process.

All of its three levels are functional and continue in one single direction or flow. But the presumably natural vertical is in this case translated into the horizontal installation of volumes. Entrance from the porch offers a view of a clear, airy interior that collects and retains all of the sunrays from the south and sends them deeper into the structure of continuous spaces. Different levels follow with only a few steps in between.

It is a house for two, but only a brief consideration makes us understand that these two need just as many components to function as do four or six. The only difference is the frequency of use, path crossings and different timings of use, especially in common spaces. The interior thus became a special mix of storage, washroom, bathroom and bedroom free flux spaces that morph according to the way of using them. The house for the best years thus interprets the inhabitant’s ways of being while paying full respect to the inclined location.

Photography: Virginia Vrecl

Matej Gašperič, Biro Gašperič :

www.birogasperic.com

OZ.E.TECTURE

architects thinking locally acting globally

www.ozetecture.org

Lindsay Johnston20 June 2016

Juan Carlos Eugene Soler : Glenn Murcutt Master Class 2001

54th Central Glass International Design Competition, Tokyo, Japan

‘Architecture That Generates New Sakariba’ - 2019

The Japanese ‘Central Glass International Design Competitions’ have been run each year since 1966. The 2019 competition attracted 188 international entries. Seven were shortlisted and Eugene’s entry was placed second.

[ theoretical proposition, metaphor, solar energy, technology, sustainability, community ]

‘MOON LANDING’

It is in our deepest primal instinct as social beings that people gather in a communal place that gives us a sense of culture and belonging. We gather around the warmth and wonder of campfire under the stars and share memories and stories. Or by day, under the cool shade of a tree- a natural place to meet a lover or exchange knowledge. Such place that delivers these conditions perhaps is the genesis of ‘Sakariba’.

The proposal is a massive balloon structure that can create and harness energy from the Sun whilst defining space underneath its volume, where people of all ages can gather to meet, play or ‘hangout’. The ‘Moon Landing’ hopes to create a central place for gathering where business and commerce are encouraged and generate ‘Sakariba’.

On a hot summer or rainy day, people can gather under its shade. On a cloudy day, the balloon structure can rise above the clouds where it can efficiently harness energy from the Sun. At night, it becomes a light source and a signal to attract people and when it descends it creates a space where people can gather around its warm glow. The ‘Moon Landing’ has all these features at the same time providing sustainable energy to its local community.

This idea is not science fiction but actually a very feasible means of efficiently combining what is currently being developed in balloon technology, sustainability, science and art. What is new is the realignment of technology to create a more poetic and meaningful purpose to reinvigoration local culture, religion, myths and stories, which is appropriate when it needs to be integrated in local communities. Especially to the 25% of the world’s population which has no or lack access to electricity. Such space offers a wonderful chance for the community to be activated, bring people together and encourage businesses and various activities.

By combining a strong metaphor with technology and sustainability- the proposal hopes to address not only the community’s basic needs but also hopes to give a deep importance and meaning in local culture and tradition to bring people together and organically for business growth and generate a ‘New Sakariba’

Moreover, in a world where we have Internet connection but seem to be ‘disconnected’- the ‘Moon Landing’ can be a benefit to existing ‘Sakariba’ not only to reduce the abundant energy we are drowning in, but also to remind us to look up and realize our place in the Universe and encourage real connection with each other.

Architect : Eugene Soler

Awards : 54th Central Glass International Design Competition _ Second Place

Web site : http://www.ateliersoler.com

OZ.E.TECTURE

architects thinking locally acting globally

www.ozetecture.org