Type
leisure

Source
project commission

Client
private client

Address/Site
Vitovlje

Site area
12083 m2

Total floor area
1655 m2

Program
private house

Structure
reinforced concrete

Cladding
concrete panels and glazing in wooden frames

Architect
SADAR+VUGA (Jurij Sadar, Boštjan Vuga, Mirjam Milić, Aleš Pajk)

AM House is placed on a large piece of land of Dolnje Visoko settlement in Vitovlje area in the lower part of Vipava valley. Its dynamic design is created by volumes, walls, and flat roofs. The design of the house is associated with the diversity of typical Karst and Vipava villages. It follows the morphology of the village or the settlement in which it stands.

The house is on a plateau, on the western part of the plot. The eastern part of the plot is completely undeveloped and descends towards the agricultural areas in the valley. Access to the house is from the road through the settlement.

The house is designed to be closed against the winds from the north/northeast and the road. It opens towards the south and overlooks the valley and hills to the east, which gives the house such a distinctively dual character. With massive walls, it forms a border on one side and opens with glazing structure towards the atrium, the south and the view to the east.

The design of the house and its placement on the plot follows the tendency for an optimal living environment throughout the whole year. The organization of the interior and the opening towards the atriums, covered and exposed terraces stimulate constant movement (migration) of the house inhabitants enjoying the comfort of different seasons throughout the year. The house becomes new not only to live in but, due to characteristics of different seasons, an ever-changing living environment for two residents, an active elderly couple. So during colder seasons, residents enjoy the comfort of inner parts of the house – the inner swimming pool, the winter kitchen, fitness/sauna, the two living rooms – during spring and summer they move to covered and exposed terraces around the outer swimming pool and summer kitchen.

Three ‘shells’, volumes, where the surface of the massive wall continues into a sloping roof, restricts the house to the south-east, south-west, and north. Among them, there is a diverse volume, which is being concealed by massive walls and it is covered by the green roof. Two pergolas and high existing trees are concealing the house against the view from the road on the southern strain of the plot.