On the tip of the Adriatic, a short drive from Venice, a compact modern cabin provides a peaceful rural escape. The Compact Karst House by Dekleva Gregorič Arhitekti is a 900 square foot home for a small family in rural Slovenia. It was designed using local materials and traditional forms, but constructed with a clear contemporary vision. It feels at home in its Mediterranean environment, but still manages to push the envelope.
The area of the compact Karst House has been logged for timber for structural projects in Venice. As Venice continues its descent into the sea, Slovenian timber is helping to slow that process. This has cleared areas in rural Slovenia that are now fit for construction, including the plot where this cabin now rests.
The removal of Slovenian oak has exposed plenty of limestone around this home. This was used in part to construct the home, including the patchwork stone fascia that comprises the home’s exterior. Concrete and wood provide structure and interior support, respectively, plus natural tones that present a warm mood to the home’s occupant.
Inside, this compact living space is made to feel larger by creative use of space. A small stairwell, supported by hanging lines, welcomes inhabitants to a second level with two rooms and a central play space. The downstairs rooms are largely open, providing shared space for the family to enjoy together. The windows in the home provide scenic views on the bottom level and skylight views above, all of which bring natural light into the home throughout the day.
The Compact Karst House is small in stature but functional in usable space. Its creative arrangement of interior space and its use of local materials make it a design success in our book. We hope to see more like this one from the people at Dekleva Gregorič Arhitekti. [photographer: janez marolt via: archdaily ]
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Compact Karst House by Dekleva Gregorič Arhitekti | Gallery
In the not-too-distant future, we might all be printing our style accessories at home. The people at United Nude have envisioned this future in a new series of 3D printed footwear designed by some of the world’s greatest living architects. The United Nude 3D Printed Shoes collection features designs by Zaha Hadid, Fernando Romero, Ross Lovegrove and more — all printed using 3DSystems technology.
This week at Salone del Mobile in Milan, Italy, United Nude and other brands are revealing their latest innovations to a design-minded audience. While the event is focused on furniture and interiors, United Nude’s new footwear series takes its inspiration from architectural concepts. United Nude teamed up with 3DSystems, a 3D printing company, and invited five architects to join the project.
The United Nude 3D Printed Shoes concept, titled “ Re-Inventing Shoes “, features five designs by five celebrated architects and designers. These include Ben Van Berkel, Zaha Hadid, Ross Lovegrove, Fernando Romero and Michael Young. Each has its own distinct identity, varied in the spirit of design, but produced with the same 3D printing system. Hadid’s “Flames” shoes are sharp and dynamic. Romero’s “Ammonite” shoes are symmetrical and arthropodic. Each shoe is very different from the next, and the whole set shows just how flexible 3D printing technology can be.
For now, the United Nude 3D Printed Shoes concept is a short-run, prototype only project. However, it might be pretty simple to scale this project into wider production. With 3D printing, the design is the hard part, and this has already been completed by some of the biggest names in the business. The next step would be to print them for shipping, or alternatively, release the designs so fans can attempt to create them closer to home.
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United Nude 3D Printed Shoes | Gallery
