World Building of the Week
Residential Building ELIPSE
Sadar+Vuga, Arhipro, Studio Krištof
9. de setembre 2024
Photo: Ana Skobe
ELIPSE is an apt name for this new apartment building in Ljubljana, but it is the wavy balconies projecting from the elliptical plan that grab the most attention. Facing south toward a canal and park, the balconies provide outdoor space for many of the building's 64 units. Sadar+Vuga, who worked on the project with Arhipro and Studio Krištof, answered a few questions about the project.
What were the circumstances of receiving this commission?It was a direct commission by a Montenegro developer who was building for the first time in Europe. We were hired after interviewing with the client, showing references, etc., and being selected among three or four other candidates.
Photo: Ana Skobe
What makes this project unique?The design of the Elipse building responds to the specificities of the site, both in the immediate and larger context, as well as to urban requirements from the master plan for the area. Its uniqueness lies in its form — an ellipse in plan, articulated with loggias on the northern side and large cantilevered balconies on the southern side.
Photo: Ana Skobe
What is the inspiration behind the design of the building?The building is mint green and wrapped in a textile-like interweaving of ceramic tile cladding. This textile interweaving refers to Gottfried Semper’s Bekleidung — a wrap, a cladding of a very simple elliptical volume. This design also references its position on the inner city ring, which was originally designed by Slovene-Viennese architect Maks Fabiani before World War I.
Photo: Ana Skobe
How did the site impact the design?The site is situated between a river canal and the inner ring. The elliptical form responds to the nearby historic School of Economics and the green area facing the canal. The design is very contextual in the way it is opening to the south and closing to the north. The building is acting as a new marker along the ring as well.
Photo: Ana Skobe
To what extent did the owner, client, or future users of the building affect the design?Since this is a 64-apartment residential building designed for the market, with the client selling the apartments to individual buyers, the design was not significantly influenced by the actual buyers or future residents. However, we had a very good relationship and communication with the client, which led to a pragmatic solution in terms of various apartment typologies, aligned with the client's project brief. On the other hand, we had significant freedom to propose the organization of the building as well as its appearance.
Photo: Ana Skobe
Were there any significant changes from initial design to completion?Fortunately, there were no significant changes. What we presented at the initial design stage remained coherent through to the very end.
Photo: Ana Skobe
How does the building relate to other projects in your office?As is particular for our office, each architectural project aims to define its own spatial, visual, and material language and appearance. This building is not a repetition of any of our previous projects. It builds on several earlier examples, while developing a unique proposal that fits the uniqueness of the site and the brief.
Email interview conducted by John Hill.
Photo: Ana Skobe
Location: Ljubljana, Slovenia
Client: Čelebič, d.o.o.
Architects: Sadar+Vuga, Ljubljana; Arhipro, Belgrade; Studio Krištof, Ljubljana
Project Teams:
- Sadar+Vuga d.o.o. (Jurij Sadar, Boštjan Vuga, Matija Vuković, Tjaša Plavec, Tamara Rijavec)
- Arhipro d.o.o. (Vanja Gregorc, Aleš Vrhovec, Nina Rojc)
- Studio Krištof d.o.o. (Tomaž Krištof, Špela Zore, Andraž Hrovat)
Structural Engineer: Gradbeni biro Mele s.p.
Electrical: REI Inženiring d.o.o.
Mechanical: PINSS d.o.o.
Fire Safety: Ekosystem d.o.o.
External and Traffic Design: GIRI d.o.o.
Site Area: 3,750 m²
Building Area: 14,012 m²
Site Plan
Second Floor Plan
Balcony Diagram
Top Floor Plan
Longitudinal Section
