They are designers of the Vincarje residential complex in Škofja Loka. What is the advantage of this neighborhood over others? The director of the holding company of the old factory in the area of the old edge of Škofje Loka had the desire to use the abandoned building, from where, due to functional and infrastructural reasons,...
They are designers of the Vincarje residential complex in Škofja Loka. What is the advantage of this neighborhood over others?
The director of the holding company of the old factory in the area of the old edge of Škofje Loka had the desire to make a social neighborhood out of the abandoned building, from where they had to move out due to functional and infrastructural reasons. We have shown that with good and well-thought-out architecture, we can achieve prestige where the others did not plan for it. The location offers contact with nature. There is a hill on one side, the Sora river on the other. The position of the building is crucial in the passage of nature through the neighborhood. We have organized the public space in such a way that it will enable the formation of a community of residents who will also spend their free time in this neighborhood. The investor is now marketing the Vincarje neighborhood as luxury.
Are we following world trends in building neighborhoods in Slovenia?
In Slovenia and other industrialized countries, the current trend is to release ideal locations for residential buildings on the basis of abandoned industrial centers. From an urban point of view, it could be said that it is a matter of densification of settlements. In the case of Škofje Loka, such locations are e.g. an abandoned old barracks, an abandoned old slaughterhouse, ... These are areas within the existing city that are suitable for housing, but are unfriendly and unusable at first glance. Few people think of them as locations that allow luxury. This is expressed through the location of the apartment, and at the same time, the construction of such neighborhoods leads to the revival of scattered old cores.
What is the philosophy behind the work of your office?
Very simple. We look for the "problem" of the assigned task, but we look at it from a positive side. We investigate it and explain it to ourselves with very basic elements. This is called abstraction. This is followed by layering, as every problem is multifaceted, and rebuilding piece by piece into a new whole. From the point of view of our office, we see enormous potential precisely in this issue of degraded urban areas. Where others see only weaknesses, we see beauty and solutions.
How is neighborhood planning different today than it was thirty years ago?
A neighborhood is a community of individuals who have certain common, public programs. Only these give them an identity and some social affiliation. The mixed structure of neighborhoods is very important for the very quality and beauty of life in it. Nowadays, the neighborhood is a hybrid phenomenon. It is not simply one-layered, as it used to be for them. An example is sleeping quarters with only one function. Today, we gravitate towards neighborhoods in which there are spaces for commerce, culture, kindergartens, schools, etc., in short, everything that an individual needs for a quality life. The key value of the neighborhood is that it forms a manageable community where people are casual acquaintances, but at the same time preserve their individuality. A sustainable city thus becomes a connection of various hybrid neighborhoods, which enable residents to choose their own identity in a certain environment.
Is designing an individual house different from designing a neighborhood?
With the neighborhood, we include the program wishes of the investor who will not live in this neighborhood, so we are designing for an unknown user. We use general solutions and follow specific principles. In the case of a neighborhood, we thus create an external space, while in the case of individual construction, we focus mainly on the internal space, where we adapt the project to the wishes of e.g. some families, which we encourage to participate in the process itself, because this is, after all, their dream house.
Is hiring an architect to build a family house a prestige, as many people think in our country?
Hiring an architect is absolutely smart. We know from our experience that it is absolutely necessary to hire an architect for the construction of individual houses of different price ranges, namely because of the poor standard plans with us, the specificity of each location and enabling the client to live in the house of his dreams. Hiring an architect is much more accessible to the general public these days, making the process of building a house easier for people, as most people don't deal with it every day. Hiring an architect is reflected in the quality and comfort of an individual's stay.
Do you stick to any set criteria in your creations?
Responsibilities to both the investor and the profession. As architects, we connect all these factors, while we also have to coordinate our responsibility towards culture and the environment. Sometimes we can do a project smartly, according to all the principles of the profession, but people just don't like it. Likeability is a 'suspicious' category and therefore does not play a role in our creation. Architecture is no longer an ego trip, but has become a matter of compromise.
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