PROGRAMME 2012

Walk aroun the heritage of architect Maks Fabiani is to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of the great Slovenian architect (Kobdilj 1865 - York 1962). The event is organized by Society of Architects primorska, Foundation Maks Fabiani, Center for Architecture of the Karst and family Malgaj. Walking tour is combiend of the visit of the family home of Maks Fabiani in Kobdilj, where he was born, and a guided tour of Fabiani urban architectural heritage in Štanjel, where he was mayor between 1935-1945. 

Visiting the family home of Max Fabiani
Address: Kobdilj 40, Kobdilj
Parking is not possible by the house.

Walk in Štanjel
Meeting point: On the square by the regional street (under the old Štanjel center)

The floor plan of the semi-detached house is determined by the shape of its plot with a busy road in the north and a leafy shore of Mali Graben stream, planted with willows and alder trees in the south. The two-family house is relatively large but clever volume segmentation and use of different materials makes it appear smaller. The living quarters in the ground floor are transparent and directly connected to the garden, while the northern side of the house is more closed. The house is distinguished by clear and seemingly simple details, muted colors, and well-thought use of materials. Underfloor heating, good insulation, forced ventilation system and rooftop solar panels make for an energy efficient family home.

The Chapel is located in the attic of the Ignatius Jesuit Centre, which was founded in 1925 as the Spiritual Exercises retreat house designed by the architect Plečnik. During its history the building served several purposes (among others it was the city maternity ward), but today serves its original purpose once more. The departing point of the design was to create a space of "eloquent silence" within this hollowed-out attic room. The chapel is intended for calm and meditation, far from the noisy world. There are no unnecessary decorative elements, only rough hand-made classical archetypal Christian symbols: the cross, the light, the fish. The use of simple materials carved by hand of the architect himself put this Chapel at the threshold between architecture and sculpture.

Hotel Špik is a holiday hotel in small alpine village in northern Slovenia. The new building partially replaces an old hotel building, while its form and size follow the newer wing which is preserved. The monolithic structure with textured slanting walls and resembles surrounding rock formations. The hotel is integrated into its green environment and fits into the Alpine panorama. The massive structure is made seem smaller with its airy facade and roof. The guest rooms and the public areas have large glass surfaces that connect the interior with the surrounding and offer beautiful panoramic views. The furnishings made of natural materials complete the design with their simple shapes and natural colour scheme.

Sponsored by: 
Knaufinsulation d.o.o.

This small prefabricated wooden house for two shares some of its basic features with prehistoric settlements in the Ljubljana moor. Due to the specific structure of the ground, the house is built on 80 wooden pilots and raised above the ground in order to escape frequent flooding. The house is entirely made of wood: the interior is made of laminated spruce the exterior is clad in larch. The house was built in just 4 months. After four years the larch cladding faded into silvery grey while the interior in frosted white spruce is turning yellow.

By the renovation of typical Štanjel house was extremely welcome assistance of the  institution for the protection of cultural heritage from Nova Gorica. The house, is addapted to the steep terrain and is set between two narrow streets. With the renovation it maintains its original appearance. Most the original materials were preserved, the old ones were replaced with identical new ones. Urgent static interventions  are hardly noticeable and largely retain the existing structure. House maintains the noble karst patina with a hint of modern familiarity.

The owners of the house Raduha, a few years ago, bought and moved into their garden an old hayrack, and saved cultural heritage from collapse. At the core of the hayrack they desigend apartment. The original structure and the image of the old hayrack was preserved. They used mostly natural materials. Renovation stresses the harmony between the almost pristine facade outside and modern ambience in the interior. Living room and bathroom are placed on the first floor, a bedroom is in the attic, in the open ground floor there are a large annual table and bath tub. In the closed part of the hayrack to 20 m2 can stay four people.

In the courtyard of the former Bohač restaurant in Nazarje, there is a large double hayrack called Bohačev hayrack, which was before the renovation in very poor condition. The renovation respects its historical tradition. The structure is now fully restored and reinforced, the exterior walls and roof are insulated. Metal brackets, installation,  electrical lines and air conditioners are hidden. The ground floor is arranged as farmers market. On the first floor, accessible over the new stairs, there is the space for the permanent exhibition. For larger or additional temporary exhibition there is space in the attic. All new features are designed to contrast with the old, in dark coated steel.

Hotel Kanin is set in a beautiful south-eastern edge of Bovec. South wing with a restaurant on the ground floor and the north wing with rooms surronud at an angle of 30 degrees the main central hall. The hall is opening to the swimming pool and to the meadows and fields, descending towards the river Soča. Roofs of the buildings in which they are sculpted terraces from hotel rooms, follow the steep slopes of the surrounding mountains. The hotel was renovated in 1995. It's basic shape and colors were well presered.
(Source:Evidenca)
AWARD: Borba Newspaper Award 1973

The renovation and transformation of the Mordax Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre into the Evangelic Church of the Good Shepherd in Novo Mesto attempts to modernize and improve the liturgy. The structure of the existing listed building was left as untouched as possible. New additions are separated from the existing building and function as a whole while the interior is designed in reference to biblical symbolism. The choir and it stairs are also new additions as is the new entrance to the chapel through the sacristy.

The Tajfun factory is located in the heart of the remote region of Kozjak and is one of the largest producers of forestry equipment (winches and splitters) in the world. The new storage facility extends all over the irregularly shaped plot. The idea of the project is follow the typology and morphology of individual houses in the nearby village and link it with the existing factory building. The building follows the principle of spiraling snail shell rotating around the corners and opening itself towards the courtyard. The opening has become the entrance and carport for trucks. Object of the crystalline form is embedded into surrounding greenery.

The Tree House, based on principles of modern design, doesn't follow the example of classic tree houses, which seek inspiration in either real houses or garden sheds. Instead, children are offered a different understanding of shapes, new spatial experiences and forms of play. The house becomes their property which they can use for different purposes. The house is made of spruce plywood, protected by a colourless nano-varnish. The roof and the shifted sidewall are covered in a roofing cardboard. The furnishings are minimal and constructed of dowel pins that we made with the kids one Sunday afternoon.

The emphatically designed  France Bevk Library occupies an important place in the urban grid of Nova Gorica. The library symbolically concludes the axis between two important referential points of the two cities - Travnik (Lawn), located in the historical centre of the city and the "lawn", a public space in front of the municipality building in Nova Gorica. The most important public spaces of the city are set around the main public square uner the arcades, a feature that is repeated in the library building. 

The old apartment in the building of the former Chamber of Labour, designed by Vladimir Šubic in 1928, needed complete renovation and change of floor plan. On the sunny side of the street is a huge, back-lit living room (former rooms) and on the north, side of the courtyard sleeping area (former bedroom). New diagonal move at the central load-bearing wall is creating a service center with a spacious bathroom and utility room. The whiteness of the interior varies with different shades of white. Seemingly flat minimalist is enriched and has a distinctive character by use of design colorful icons furniture and lamps, paintings and art decoration.

The first time the architects saw the house they live in now, was on a summer afternoon walk. The nice but old vila left a big impression on them. The surrounding garden and lots of big windows promised a comfortable living space. They renovated rented appartment with 80m2 with a low budget - about 2000 eur. The renovation process took 9 months. The floor plan was left untouched, all the stationary items were renovated (walls, floors, windows and doors). The furniture was partly renovated, partly designed and made by the architects, so it could fit the need of a working-living environment.

The Pipanova housing units block was built according to minimal living space standards by the Municipality of Ljubljana to serve as temporary housing solution. This energy-efficient block of flats follows the height of the surrounding suburban family homes; its usable surface is enlarged with the partly-buried, naturally ventilated and lighted residential basement. The building owes its specific character to the wrought iron window fence that protects the balconies. The temporary housing units block is a sustainable building with excellent insulation, passive use of solar energy and a small photovoltaic power station on the top of its flat roof.

AUTHORS: Rok Bogataj, Miha Desman, Eva Fiser Berlot, Vlatka Ljubanovic, Katarina Pirkmajer Desman

A house takes full advantage of natural features of site (slope, stream, vastly plot, views to nature, access to the meadow to all floors, passive solar). Is a combination of two perpendicular elongated blocks. The ground floor is parallel to ground and has green roof. First floor with gabled roof is perpendicularly to the ground floor and extends across with console. Under the console there is entrance and covered terrace. The house has exits on  lawn from the ground floor and first floor. Terrace allows the owners to spend a large part of the day outdoors in all seasons. Serves as a living room and dining outdoors, space for garden parties or playground in bad weather.

The Böhm winery occupies the cellar of a 200-year-old residential building. The premises had moisture problems, but was successfully restored. Architectural features of the existing building are emphasized by a clever play with lightning. 

Church complex at the archaeological site Tonovcov castle above Kobarid ranks from early Christian period to the end of the fifth and sixth century. New buildings protect the building excavations, while allowing experience the ambient of the church. They illustrate the original volume of buildings and use materials found on site with minimal prejudice to the originals. Forms are pure and simple. Main frame is steel structure whose pillars are installed throughout the original in minimal way. In the interior, there is designed glass walking platform, that connects individual rooms and demonstration boards that lead visitors through the site.