The region of Karst was once covered with Oak trees that Venetians have extensively used for building up the City on water. They have left the wind to peel off earth revealing limestone grounds. In this landscape the tradition of small, compact, stony and almost windowless houses developed and remained until today.
Following this tradition dekleva gregorič arhitekti built the ‘Compact Karst House’, a monolithic volume with two inserted wooden volumes connected with interim landing. The ground floor contains a kitchen with a dining or bathroom and on the upper floor you’ll find the master bedroom and children’s room. The house in a house concept allows each bedroom to perform as a wooden pitched house, where one literally feels like sleeping in his own (symbolic) house and not in a room. The design of the house addresses the relationship between contemporary and tradition, it raises question about the characteristics of the rather anonymous traditional architecture from which it originates, merging contemporary design with traditional domestic concepts.
All images © Janez Marolt