The design itself is most successful in its advantageous use of what appears to be a rather difficult triangular site along the bend of a road. The need to maximize the exposure of each apartment to the selling point of the project, the view of the sea, has informed the torqued shape that I happen to find extremely sculptural.

The sculptural quality is perhaps the most intriguing thing. There seems to be a clear division between the floor or road level that is expressed in a natural material and blends into the curve. Then there is a rather heroic pedestal that sits on top of that. The pedestal is neutral in color but emphasizes the formal language of the “piece” it supports. On top the building itself takes rationalism and splits it apart into cubism without ever letting its functional motive drop out of sight.

Conceptually, I have to say that I believe that is an extremely original and artistic approach.

Within the result there is something to do with the relationship of Slovenia and Italy. In some ways this could have been a building from the 1960’s and fits into a continuum that includes what I always thought of as La Dolce Vita modernism as it is exuberantly expressed (too often over-expressed) in places along the Italian and French seaside. Slovenia is having that moment nearly fifty years later than western Europe and I find the picking up of this kind of architecture really interesting. If this project where built, for example, in Cassis or Porto Venere one would be tempted to label it retro.

The interiors don’t seem quite up to the promise of the exteriors but I lay that off to the holiday cottage phenomenon and the fact that this is a speculative project.

Last thing that I want to say is that I like the way this building is made. I really find myself resisting the trend to make uselessly-sculptural polygonal architecture with computers. It strikes me that there are a lot of kids sitting around studios who don’t really understand what a site is or why architecture really is. Therefore, the approach to making this that clearly uses a computer as a tool and not an inspiration. The plastic quality of the model itself is appealing.

Even though this is not a 100% successful project in my opinion it has a good bit going for it. Certainly I think it is a great building for Porotorož and a stimulation to make other architecture in similar places that is equally exuberant.