
Architects: OFIS arhitekti
Location: Podpec, Slovenia
Project Team: Rok Oman, Spela Videcnik, Andrej Gregoric, Javier Carrera, Janez Martincic, Katja Aljaz
Each Plot Area: 420 sqm
Each House Area: 110 sqm
Project Year: 2006-2010
Photographs: Tomaz Gregoric
Ljubljana is surrounded by numerous dense rural formations of different scales. Together by branching with main urban core are forming the city. As the city is expanding from the inner side outwards the urban and rural formations are slowly dissolving together. With uncontrolled urban growth historical rural typologies are slowly loosing its patterns, character and qualities.
Village Podpec is becoming such typical suburban area. Although surrounded by wider green area with fields and wild nature local resorts have no any qualities in new built environment.

Sewing an village tissue
The project is part of an urban study for suburban areas outside Ljubljana highway ring.
Main proposed idea is condensation of village cores with branching – traditional historical rural layout of condensed longitudinal buildings along the road with kept green area around.

Internal road acts as spinal cord, eight plots with longitudinal houses are branching like ribs.
Sustainable-economical issues
These kinds of plots with houses are target for young families that can not afford to live in the centre and seeks for its own garden dissolving into the green surrounding. On the other hand they bring back new vitality into village tissue.

3 bedroom houses with related garden and three external parking were designed at 180.000 EUR each as a sort of budget that young couples can afford with reasonable bank loan. Therefore basic concept had to be based on economical, rational and flexible issues. Each house unit has 2 floors, 55sqm each. Each unit was ended at stage without finished floors and sanitary elements in bathrooms.
-Ground-floor consists of central living area and kitchen with storage. Living area has possibility of additional room such as guest-bedroom or working space. Living area opens to elevated veranda and small inner garden.

-First floor functions as sleeping area providing 3 bedrooms with 2 bathrooms and wardrobe.
There is a long terrace with pergola along the bedrooms.
Designed pitched roof allows space for a gallery or storage.
Materials are larch wood, plaster and glass.
- © Tomaz Gregoric
- © Tomaz Gregoric
- © Tomaz Gregoric
- © Tomaz Gregoric
- © Tomaz Gregoric
- © Tomaz Gregoric
- © Tomaz Gregoric
- © Tomaz Gregoric
- © Tomaz Gregoric
- © Tomaz Gregoric
- © Tomaz Gregoric
- © Tomaz Gregoric
- © Tomaz Gregoric
- situation
- site plan
- floor plans
- elevations
- section



















Simply good project, very interesting topic in relation to the city growing wild outskirts.
Well insertion and density value. “Back to the roots” I would say. The main attraction is good typology gesture merged with modest design of the houses. Nice..
Deceiving pictures unfortunately. I was interested in buying one of our Slovene colleagues units since they seemed an interesting compromise between size and price price but with an elevated standard of living… But frankly there is no price low enough to buy an unit exposed to traffic on one side, a gas refilling facility on the other and the neighbouring units just feet (literally!) away. I was deeply disappointed on how badly these units were integrated into the existing town tissue. I know the argument will be “We had the best of intentions, but the developer pushed the built area to the maximum limits…”. They surely did, but you as architects decided to put your name on this calamity anyway$. I usually like your stuff guys but this one left me cold.
ps.you should publish the cukrarna project, tho. that’s the one that ought to make you proud.
With what looks to be an abundance of space surrounding this development, why are the units so close to one and other?
Nice idea. A space has a feeling of an old part of towns and squares. If the project has such a plot like buldozer says is so much obvious that houses are very densed
I like the plot towards urban conditions. And probably the complexity of the site (trafic, strange surrounding facilities…) itself generated the urban design. The pitched roof design with the wooden frames as balconies are very like-able
I think projects with small densed tissue like presented one could have bright future and this one could be one good example. My respect to OFIS studio for low cost project and still retained originality.
I know the spot and the site and hope that this project will be a pilot, good example and common practice for suburbian towns.
Agree with Peter. And also with buldozen that competition Cukrarna should be presented here together with very strange jury decision.
I am very glad for presented project of this office. Just visited the other ones. Great projects and website too
I checked website and I did not find project Cukrarna. Where can you see it?
Jushio, here are results but is not in english :
http://www.arhiforum.si/natecaji/CUKRARNA/first.html
Thank you.
Low cost-high life. Perfect solution for young couples in suburbia-n areas around cities with low cost note.
Follow traditional village layout is a very good urban solution ;… a condensed core with a main road acting as a spinal cord through the village
good concept with dense village layout plans, good use of house plan typology.
Very rational and functional plans out of 100m2. I wanted to buy one but they are sold already
Still on the market Matej. Initially they wanted 220.000 for them… now they got 30% discount. You have to visit Podpeč to understand why…
http://www.nepremicnine.net/nepremicnine.html?id_regije=1;nep=2;posr=1;detail=5303718;pic=830931.jpg
Thank you for the info buldozer !
I would certainly buy one if I live in there
Wish I have an opportunity to buy one of these houses in my country