VILLA_DP
The architectural expression combines contemporary design with references to traditional Istrian architecture.
VILLA_DP
INTENDED USE
Housing
LOCATION
Istria, Croatia
SITE AREA
900m²
BRUTO
350m²
YEAR
2025
STATUS
Under construction
This family house is located in a small settlement in northern Istria, close to the Slovenian border, and is composed of a main residential volume and a separate tavern, connected by a covered outdoor passage. With a total gross floor area of 350 m², the building is conceived as a composition of clearly defined volumes, carefully positioned to follow the natural slope of the terrain and the scale of the surrounding village.
Simple, pitched roof forms are reinterpreted in a clean, modern way, while the facades are finished in a restrained palette of light-toned plaster, natural stone cladding, and dark metal details. Large openings are precisely placed to frame views of the landscape, while deep roof overhangs and the connecting canopy provide shade and create a strong indoor–outdoor relationship.
The tavern is designed as a more robust, introverted volume, emphasizing stone surfaces and a tactile materiality, contrasting with the lighter, more open character of the residential part. The covered connection between the two volumes acts as a transitional space, functioning as a shaded outdoor room and reinforcing the horizontal flow across the site.
The surrounding landscape is treated as an extension of the architecture, with carefully arranged stone walls, Mediterranean planting, and paved surfaces that echo the materials of the house. The overall result is a calm, coherent ensemble that blends contemporary living standards with the local architectural identity of northern Istria.
