HAYRACK APARTMENTS

The site is located on the edge of an alpine town Cerklje with beautiful views of the surrounding fields and mountains. On the middle of the site is a protected 300 year old lime-tree. The plan of the building is therefore L-shaped which embraces the green area around the tree. In this way most of the apartments are oriented towards the views and the courtyard. Apartments are social – they were sold to the Slovenian Housing Fund for young families. Therefore the budget had to be very limited and materials simple and economic. The landscape and villages in the area remained unspoiled with many examples of traditional architecture such as old farms, barns and hayracks. The concept of the façade reflects the hayrack system–wooden beams details and patterns. Traditionally farmers use the beams to store grass and corn, on the housing one can store flowers or other balcony decoration. Apartments are of different sizes - from 30m2 studio flats up to four room apartments of 80m2. The roof is pitched but cut on the ridge – where flat roof starts. The pitched roof partly functions as 1m high blind which covers all the installations hidden behind – chimneys, external air conditioning, kitchen ventilation etc.