HOME AMONG BIRCHES
In the Gorenjska region of Slovenia, near Lake Bled, a new neighborhood of single-family homes has emerged, situated just above the Šobec camping site. The area was previously covered with pines and birches, but during the development of infrastructure, almost the entire edge of the forest disappeared. Together with the clients, we put in a great effort to preserve the trees on their plot. Over time, the house, located in the center of this newly cleared area, will be the only reminder of the forest's original edge.
The design of the house is deliberately simple: a brick core in the center with a modern interpretation of a ceramic heating stove and a heated niche, which is not only metaphorically but also literally the heart of the home. The gentle boundaries around it are defined by log walls that wind through the existing trees. The branches that had to be removed during construction were repurposed as railings for the balcony and staircase. Those that weren’t used served as firewood.
A prominent birch on the southern side of the house grows through the roof, marking the house in a distinctive way. Their embrace reflects the house's fundamental desire: to merge seamlessly with nature.
