Three stacked spruce 'shoeboxes' reimagine a 1934 house in Ljubljana
under Architecture, Gallery, Green Building, Green renovation
by Lidija Grozdanic
This renovated house in Slovenia consists of three spruce-covered volumes stacked up like shoeboxes. Ofis Arhitekti renovated a house designed by architect Emil Navinsek in 1934 as a home for his two sisters. The new structure expands the existing floor plan with a stacked structure that creates pleasant overhangs and terraces.
The house is located on a street with homes built mostly in the 1960s and 1970s. It is here where Slovenian architect Emil Navinsek (known for innovative school space concepts) built his own residence and a house for his two unmarried elderly sisters next to it. It is the latter one that underwent an extensive renovation.
Related: Build your own tiny home or treehouse with these stackable wooden micro-units
Ofis Architects introduced three stacked cubic volumes that combine a concrete base, metal frames and wooden substructure. Each shoebox volume was clad in dark spruce to soften the structured shape. While renovating the existing structure, the team added an extension that protrudes through the old walls and creates a living room on the ground floor, kids rooms and guest room on the first floor, and master bedroom housed on the top floor.
A staircase attached to a main vertical concrete wall, located at the heart of the house, acts as an intersection of volumes and connector of old and new. The entire interior is inspired by Adolf Loos and features elevated podiums, niches and small sitting areas.
+ Ofis Arhitekti
Photos by Tomaz Gregoric
Three stacked spruce 'shoeboxes' reimagine a 1934 house in Ljubljana
3Shoebox House by Ofis Architects
This renovated house in Ljubljana, Slovenia, has three shoebox-like volumes stacked and shifted to create pleasant overhangs and terraces. Ofis Architects renovated an existing house designed by architect Emil Navinsek in 1934 as a home for his two elder sisters who lived together. The new structure draws upon the existing house floor plan and combines the original textures and materials with concrete, metal and wood.
It is here where Slovenian architect Emil Navinsek, known for innovation space concepts of a school non-corridor plan, built his own residence and a house for his two unmarried elderly sisters next to it. The latter one required an extensive renovation.
The house is located on a street built mostly in the 1960s and 1970s, with typical single family houses.
Ofis Architects introduced three stacked cubic volumes that combine a concrete base, metal frames and wooden substructure.
While renovating the existing structure, the team added the extension that protrudes through the old walls and create a living room on the ground floor, kids rooms and guest room on the first floor, and master bedroom housed on the top floor.
A staircase attached to a main vertical concrete wall, located at the heart of the house, acts as an intersection of volumes and connector of old and new.
The entire interior is inspired by Adolf Loos and features elevated podiums, niches and small sitting areas.
3Shoebox House by Ofis Architects banner