Villa T-Extension by OFIS Arhitekti

Slovenian studio OFIS Arhitekti have added a bleached larch extension onto the side of a 1930s house in Ljubljana designed by modernist architect Josip Costaperaria.

As the house has since been converted into apartments, the new block provides a living and dining room for the ground floor residents and a small rooftop balcony for their neighbours on the floor above.

A green perspex canopy cantilevers from the edge of the block to shelter a ramped driveway, while bicycle storage is contained in the space beneath.

Each of the larch-clad columns and eaves have an exaggerated width to create chunky detailing that contrasts with the style of the existing building.

OFIS Arhitekti have also recently completed an apartment with staggered floors and a scaly apartment block.

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Photography is by Tomaz Gregorič.

Here's some more information from OFIS Arhitekti:

Villa T-Extension

“Villa Dular” is a typical modernistic villa originally designed in 1932 by architect Costaperaria; a white cube with an extensive roof terrace and a top volume finished in wooden cladding. It is surrounded by a garden and other similar residences of its time.

The villa is currently inhabited by different owners on each floor. The family, who lives on the ground floor, commissioned the redevelopment on the south side of the existing building. The client has a functional disability and is restricted to a wheelchair. He lives with his wife, three children, and a dog.

The task at hand was to design a new extension to the ground floor with a dining area and living space, including a covered parking for a car and a storage space for bicycles.

The client requested the roof be used as a terrace for the apartment on the first floor. All floor surfaces were designed with slopes and wheelchair access in mind.

The T shape extension works as an umbrella above the living space: supporting the terrace on one side and creating a parking roof on the other side.

The roof over the parking and ramp is a cantilevered pergola covered with Perspex panels in a light green color.

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The connection between the existing villa and the intervention is a glass volume as part of the living space.

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The sides that face the garden and the entry courtyard are large panoramic glass walls with a framed sliding window in oiled oak.

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The cladding of the new extension is an assembly of bleached larch wood verticals in 2x2, 3x3 or 4x4 cm, in a rhythm that creates a pleated texture.

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Location: Ljubljana, Slovenia
Status: project 2009, construction start 2010, completion 2012
Program: dining area, living space, covered parking, storage
Details: historical residential area, villa extension