© MgA Tomas Manina PhD

• Architects: Architekti Šercel Švec s. r. o.
• Location: Kaplnská 40, 925 22 Veľké Úľany, Slovakia
• Architect In Charge: Architekti Šercel Švec s. r. o.
• Area: 110.0 sqm
• Project Year: 2016
• Photographs: MgA Tomas Manina PhD

• Architects: Peter Šercel, Andrej Švec
• Garden Architects: NuGarden

© MgA Tomas Manina PhD

Site Plan

From the architect. The area of architecture is placed in a centre of a small village Veľké Úľany (South West Slovakia). The ground is unique for its specific irregular shape which tends to be narrowed at the edge. This place is situated near to a protective zone of Calvary, an important municipal monuments with high vegetation.

© MgA Tomas Manina PhD

Concept

Main concept of design is based on a markedly conservation of its authentic genius loci. The mass of the architecture forms on a traditional shape of a house located between the existing trees. Efforts to keep symbiosis with surrounding nature led to the connection of flat and sloped roof. The two-storey building purposely respects the street line and its location opens up a view of the entire area. Steeper slopes of the roof to the south promotes the lightness and subtlety of garden and creates its nice background. Human scale brings airiness into the backyard and decreases towards the entrance which consequently seems less personal, but still attractive.  

© MgA Tomas Manina PhD

The house designed as open space can be comfortably used by four member family. On the ground floor is a hall accessible directly from the level of parking places for cars (grassing tiles). Right after the entrance the house offers a nice view to the garden passing through the living room and large glass wall. The bathroom with toilet forms the northernmost tip of the object with the entrance through the hall with wardrobe and technical equipment. The daily places are partly divided by the mass of staircase. Dining room with kitchen and living room creates one operating circle whose circumference is the strongest architectural feature: connection of the exterior and interior. Open bedroom area adds breathability to the house. First floor serves as the night zone of the house with two separate rooms. 

Section

Perspective

From the daily zone, there is an exit to the terrace and garden. The garden is designed in the context of flowers, useful plants and herbs. The realisation of the garden, including the selection, planting and treatment of existing trees as well, was accomplished with care and high attention.

The house construction just complete the main idea of preserving existing trees. The building is based on a reinforced concrete foundation slab, using cellular glass insulation to do not break the root system under the house and retain the original green high vegetation on the area. In the interior and exterior as well, there are used only natural materials as wood, stone, steel and concrete in its rough form. The entrance and courtyard facade is adjusted by wooden panelling, which is left to natural oxidation. Medium high fence is built only around garden area – it is formed to gabion with fulfilled and empty parts. The house looks small and compact and still benefits from native trees which maintain a comfortable climate in its interior and environment nearby. Thanks to the open space disposition of whole area, house and its surrounding keeps its holistic harmony of exterior and interior.

© MgA Tomas Manina PhD

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Courtesy of Royal Institute of British Architects

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has released the results of their Future Trends Survey for April 2016. The report shows continued growth in employment and workload predictions, as the industry edges closer to pre-recession levels. Notably, it shows a rise in revenue for projects outside of the UK, with this figure jumping for large practices. 

Workloads in April 2016 showed an 8% increase from those in April 2015. “Workload growth has been strong throughout the last year, and this is the twelfth consecutive quarter in which we have seen rising workload,” RIBA Executive Director Member Adrian Dobson in a press release.

Despite this, the Future Trends Workload Index fell two points from March, to +29.   All Nations and Regions returned positive forecasts, with the North of England remaining strong (balance figure +43). Large practices (51+ staff) had the highest balance figure at +71, followed by small practices (1–10 staff, balance figure +28) and medium-sized practices (11-50 staff, balance figure +24).

The private housing sector workload forecast saw the biggest increase in April (rising to +33 from +28 in March), and Dobson identified it as “the key driver of growth.” He attributed this growth in part to the fact that “Buoyant housing activity is no longer confined to London and the South East but is widespread throughout the country.” The commercial sector forecast decreased to +11 (down from +18 in March). Meanwhile, the public sector and community sector forecasts changed little.

“The past year has also seen strong employment growth,” said  Dobson. “However, there is some way to go before employment levels will attain their pre-recession peaks.” In April, The RIBA Future Trends Staffing Index was unchanged at +10. The index is determined by the difference between those expecting to employ more permanent staff in the next three months and those expecting to employ fewer. Responding practices reported that permanent staffing levels were 6% higher than one year ago. Large practices were the most optimistic about recruiting new staff, with a balance figure of +71. Medium-sized practices and small practices were less optimistic, although still positive (with balance figures of +6 and +24 respectively).

The survey, established in 2009, uses a geographically representative sample of mixed-size practices to determine the prevailing workplace trends. The results are quantified into index numbers, enabling efficient monthly tracking.

Full results of the survey, including a graphical analysis, can be viewed here, and is updated each month.

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© Leonas Garbačauskas

• Architects: YCL Studio
• Location: Vilnius, Lithuania
• Area: 45.0 sqm
• Project Year: 2016
• Photographs: Leonas Garbačauskas

• Team: Tomas Umbrasas, Aidas Barzda, Tautvydas Vileikis, Rokas Kontvainis, Justė Surplytė

Mdel

Plan

Old Town nooks, unexpected views, Basilian street incites for mystics and a kind of monastery austerity. The space is shared among two moods: timeless clay coolness in twilight and monochrome play of light. In the evening, the mystical hearth fire dissolves all mood contrasts and invites to rest.

© Leonas Garbačauskas

The context of this small apartment is worth of mentioning. The century old long house is situated close to the old Vilnius city gate, defensive wall and the marketplace. The street of Basilians’ reveals a monastery further away. Apart from location, a sense of history is strengthened by thick walls, tall window openings and high ceiling.

© Leonas Garbačauskas

Detail

The provided 2 bedroom 45 sq. m. apartment layout by real estate developers wasn’t a rational option neither for the client, nor for us. A spacious home with bold design intended for a couple or a loner was the initial guideline for the interior project.

© Leonas Garbačauskas

The main idea was to create a space for two different moods: timeless clay coolness in twilight and monochrome play of light. They are “housed” in two zones created by a slanted wall in the midle of the rectangular room. The result: a set of irregular interconnected rooms, each with its’ own character‐
something inspired by the cozy old town nooks. A circle of free movement is possible once opened the tall frameless doors.

© Leonas Garbačauskas

The historical context incites for mystics and a kind of monastery austerity. This mood, comprising hall, bathroom, bedroom, is expressed by coolness of dark clinker tiles, black furniture surfaces, mirrors, painted concrete ceiling. It is practical for utilitarian functions and works soothingly in the bedroom. Here, a fireplace gap in the wall allows for a glimpse to the living room and sharing the warmth of fire.

© Leonas Garbačauskas

Quite a different monochromatic bright mood dominates the living room, where the midday light plays with tones of gray, white and black. The narrowing trapezoid room is shaped by white walls, painted concrete ceiling, oak floor and of course‐ the clinker wall. The sense of lightness and minimalism is kept in furniture‐ from hanging kitchen volumes to modest tables and sofa, even the plinths are wall built in.

© Leonas Garbačauskas

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© Jure Živković

• Architects: Randić and Associates
• Location: Bakar, Croatia
• Area: 1555.0 sqm
• Project Year: 2016
• Photographs: Jure Živković

• Project Team: Saša Randić, Vesna Milutin, Daša Manojlović, Olivija Horvatić, Tina Filjak Juračić, Iva Šulina, Sanja Ipšić-Randić, Iva Vucković
• Structure: Ivan Arbanas
• Hvac: Andrija Čuljak, Damir Šiljeg

© Jure Živković

Plan

Cultural Centre in Bakar, a historical town on the north Adriatic coast, was originally built as Community Centre during the 1970’s. Community Centre’s had a significant role in the society, designated for diffusion of culture in smaller communities. 

Various characteristics of socialist political and cultural environment have contributed to their outspread.  

Culture had a clearly defined ideological position as part of the social Superstructure, so it had resources to stimulate different forms of cultural production and social activity. Cultural activity was not limited to art alone, but it has encompassed other activities including education. Lifelong learning courses have been regularly organized in Community Centers.

© Jure Živković

Next to it, traditional social gatherings took place in the Centre, taking the role that National Houses had in the pre-socialist society. 

All of this has made Community Centers most important buildings in the municipalities, recognized as the center of a community. For that reason they have been usually built as oversized and monumental buildings.

© Jure Živković

Community Centers have been usually constructed in cities built on post-war industrialization, contrasting both elements of the Marxist cultural theory, Base, representing industrial production, and Superstructure, housed in Community Centre. The building in Bakar follows the same pattern. During the 1970’s, landscape surrounding the medieval town was dominated by heavy industry. Architecture of the Community Centre seemed to have responded to neighboring scale and form of industrial plants and port infrastructure. The building was divided in several parts, typical for Community Centers of the period; central hall for events, offices for municipal administration, rooms for civil societies and communal area with café and a bowling alley.

© Jure Živković

© Jure Živković

The industry has disappeared with the transitional processes of the 1990’s, but so has the social environment that has enabled activity in the Centre.  Like in many other post-socialist locations, the change in cultural policy has emptied the budget, leaving a structure too big for contemporary needs. 

The building was gradually decaying and largely out of use, until the reconstruction works began in 2012.

Restoration approach is embracing the fact this is an oversized building with an expressive geometry.

Section

© Jure Živković

Interior of the building is cleared of all partitions, creating one big covered space, opening to the surrounding terrain. Without a fixed set of activities, unlike from the period when it was built, the building is conceived as an empty shell that can accommodate various programs. It is a generous covered public space, periodically colonized with municipal events and gatherings.  Structural wall is dividing the interior in two, concert hall on one side and a large open space on the other, housing workshops, café and area available to local NGO’s.

© Jure Živković

Expressive shape of the building, previously covered with metal panels, has been reduced to basic geometrical shapes, emphasized with colors.

Recent selection of the neighboring city of Rijeka as European Culture Capital for 2020, creates a new environment and condition where culture represents an agency for a once strong industrial region to reinvent itself. Cultural Centre offers to the city of Bakar an opportunity to take part in these processes.  

Elevation

Elevation

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