Residence in Vrhovlje
- Sabine Drey
To get the wood for the pilings required to build their city, Venetians exploited the forests along the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, including those near Triest. Here, in the Karst Region, they left behind a denuded landscape whose limestone bedrock had been laid bare. The traditional dwellings were built using that very stone. Their outer shells cloak compact volumes with sloped roofs and nearly windowless facades that protect the inhabitants from wind, rain and snow. The design of this new single-family residence, which the architects call Compact Karst House, picks up on this tradition and reinterprets it. In a departure from the original elaborate handcrafted construction method, they selected a hybrid structural system of brick masonry, with a sloped roof erected in reinforced concrete. But to give the building massing the monolithic impression of stone, they specified that the facade be executed with an outer layer of stone and concrete. Slip-forms were employed to create these outer wythes: stone was placed in the slip-form, and then the mortar was added. The excess mortar that came to the surface through the joints was only partially removed; in this manner the architects achieved an animated surface texture. The roof has the appearance of a solid slab of stone. The effect is produced by stepping the concrete slab. The seal is positioned below it, atop the thermal insulation and another concrete slab; the latter remains visible inside. The living spaces are situated in two two-storey wooden volumes – linked by a bridge – that are independent of the outer shell. On the ground storey, somewhat larger openings furnish views out to the landscape, while skylights in both bedrooms supply views of the sky. All built-ins and partition walls employ softwood plywood; load-bearing components are of cross-laminated timber slabs. The backsides of the suspended stair’s box-shaped, wood steps function as bookcases. At a later point in time, when the clients’ construction fund has grown, this prototype-like house will become a weekend house, and a larger Karst House will be added nearby.
