A part time house for a full time family

The small plot, nestled among existing buildings on the rugged Slovenian coast, presented numerous challenges and opportunities. The key quality of the location is its exceptional openness toward the sea, which became the central guiding principle of the architectural design. Since the building serves as a seasonal retreat for the family and a space for occasionally hosting friends and business partners, the design was tailored to the specific needs of its users. Instead of a traditional two-story house, the architectural solution is based on two separate volumes – the house and the pavilion. The house is a light, transparent structure with large panoramic doors that create an uninterrupted connection with the outdoor space, evoking the feeling of open-air living. The pavilion combines a library, a studio, and a small guest room with a private bathroom, allowing for multifunctional use while ensuring additional privacy. The central outdoor space between the two volumes is designed as a typical Istrian square, featuring the shade of a tree, a stone bench, and paving made from local stone, covered by a stretched canvas sail. On the northern side, a wooden terrace with a pool opens toward the sea, forming a seamless transition between architecture and nature. Despite the constraints of the plot, surrounded by neighbouring houses and a road, a carefully considered spatial layout ensures a sense of intimacy while maintaining an open, expansive atmosphere with unobstructed views of the sea.

The house is located in the surroundings of Piran.