Residential building ELIPSE

Ljubljana, Slovenia 2018

Type
housing

Source
project commission

Client
Čelebič, d.o.o.

Address/Site
Roška cesta, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Site area
3.750 m2

Building area
1.050 m2

Total floor area
7.957,85 m2

Program
residential

Structure
reinforced concrete

Cladding
ceramic tiles

Architect
SADAR+VUGA, GregorcVrhovec

The elliptical shape and dual character of the new residential building is the answer to the spatial characteristics of the location on which the building is positioned. It is a very heterogeneous location at inner city ring. The volume of the building tangentially touches the space at the ring and spreads towards green surface inside the building area. On the north side it borders on Secondary School of Economics from the end of the 19th century, and on the south it opens towards the Grubar canal and further towards the green slopes of Golovec. The volume height of the new building is tuned with the existing school building and modernistic high-rise buildings on the other side of the ring.

The elliptical volume is also suitable for residential building: it spreads to its center, where at each level the vertical communications and common spaces are. At the same time, the narrowing to the edge of the ellipse allows dimensional and typological diversity of a particular level. The new building has 64 apartments on eight levels. It is designed so that the size and type of apartments by levels and their outwards openings are fine-tuned to their microlocation within an elliptical volume. The construction design of the building allows for adaptability of the apartments according to the wishes and needs of the residents.

Dual character of the building refers to mentioned spatial characteristics. Due to the layout of the housing typology, individual apartments are designed according to urban influences. Two principles were developed:

Principle 1:
Continental principle = LOGGIA
The apartments according to principle 1 are smaller and closing with an inside (withdrawn) loggia that provides greater privacy and extension of the facade line.

Principle 2:
Mediterranean principle = BALCONY
The apartments according to principle 2 are opening towards south with large console balconies, which approaches the mediterranean character of the location.

The apartments on the terrace (penthouses) are luxurious with biggest square footage and orientations on three sides – views towards Ljubljana Castle, the city of Ljubljana and the Alps.

The cladding is composed of overlapping horizontal and vertical strips of ceramic tiles. The tangle of the strips evokes a textile pattern, highlighted by vertical and horizontal lines of green tone. The overlapping balconies act as vertical strips interweaving and reaching from a level of the horizontal facade surface towards the Golovec greenery.