Two houses

Bratovići, Croatia

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Two houses

Bratovići, Croatia

Firm

Arhitektri

Type

Residential › Private House

YEAR

2010

SIZE

25,000 sqft - 100,000 sqft

The project
consists of two identical houses with a swimming pool in between
them. The
clients requested a design for two summer homes in Istria
(Croatia), located in
the small town of Bratovici in the inland of the Istrian
peninsula. The site is
oriented towards the neighboring houses on the northern side and a
forest to
the south.
The main
concept was to create an intimate space for the owners while
paying attention
to the local historic architecture which uses stone as a primary
building
material.
The result
is two buildings placed in an ''L'' shape on the site, forming a
pocket in the
south-west corner where the pool is located. The buildings are
closed towards
the outside world and the neighbors. There are a few openings and
they convey a
very clear message of privacy. On the contrary the fourth facade,
which is
oriented towards the pool and the inside of the site, is
completely open. The
public/private conversation is accented, creating the perfect
summer house
environment where the owners can relax and rest in the privacy of
their own
world.
The modern design and use of
the local stone for both the facade and the roof managed to keep
the houses in
dialogue with the local architecture while, at the same time,
proposed a new approach to building and
understanding
what is usually/locally known as an ''Istrian house'' which in recent
years has too
often been wrongly interpreted as a facsimile of the Tuscan villa
(both in scale and
character).
The project ''Two houses'' was nominated for the best housing award
in 2010. by the Croatian Architects' Association.