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Architects: Studio Bressan
- Area: 112 m²
- Year: 2021
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Photographs:Simone Bossi
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Lead Architect: Emanuele Bressan
Text description provided by the architects. The project area is located on a rocky coastline in Croatia. It develops along a slope that descends from the mountain, where the access to the property is located, to the crystalline water of the private beach. The design choices were determined by the site’s peculiarity and the pre-existing building. The client’s request was to integrate a guest house and a living space into a pre-existent rural house made of stone and also to develop the interior design of those two spaces.
The new buildings are presented as glass screens. Only a few essential lines define the aim of architecture to blend with the surrounding nature and at the same time to open to the sea and enhance the panoramic view of the landscape. From the outside, the site is configured as a village made of small buildings that talk to each other according to their functionality. All of them are located around the original Dalmatian-style house, the heart of the whole settlement.
The new parts aim at improving the usability of the existing buildings, without being in visual contrast with the surrounding environment. This is achieved using local resources such as stone and new materials such as steel and glass. A terraced composition (staggered levels) allows optimal use of the spaces and the section design enhances the articulation of the works. A synergy between the volumes is created both in the plan and also in their spatial development.
Guest House. The guest house is integrated subtly into the landscape. The underlying thick vegetation of the pine forest embraces and masks the entire building. Being built below the ground level of the original house, the building is invisible, despite the large areas. From the underlying forest and from the sea the guest house is perceived as a light roof, a shadow among the branches of the trees. From the inside of the building, you can contemplate the vastness of the horizon and the magnificent landscape. The glass screens are protected by a system of folding metal blinds which when opened, ensure the maximum visual permeability between inside and outside. When closed, the hermetic protection of the built volume is guaranteed.
Infinite Living. Infinite living is a space designed to be a meeting point. It is characterized by simple and elegant lines. The main characteristic of this architecture is the opening toward the landscape. The large sliding windows provide a continuum between the inside and the outside. This is also enhanced by the materials that show the external parts as extensions of the interior itself. The horizontal course of the work is inspired by the sea line. As a result, the architecture finds a mutual connection with the landscape and the roof seems to be a sail over the horizon.
Outdoor Areas. The common external areas were subjected to a spatial reorganization. A new bench was designed to be located around the existing pool. It is characterized by a wide depth so it can serve as a balustrade or a deckchair after a swim. Another element present is the Pergola Velarium. It consists of two tangent closed metal shapes one is the support bridge structure, and the other is the horizontal shading plane. The four sides are sliding veils that seem to fluctuate. They block the summer sun while providing privacy from prying eyes.
At the same time, they can still be opened toward the surrounding landscape. The veiled ceiling consists of a horizontal roller blind that protects from the zenithal sun or night humidity. Velarium is a flexible structure that adapts to the climatic conditions throughout the day and allows one to enjoy a refreshing daytime shade or the starry night sky lying on a comfortable sofa: a real open-air lounge.
