The “Gradaška” apartment building, designed by the Sadar Vuga architecture practice, is located on the edge of a residential neighbourhood of the Slovenian capital Ljubljana characterised by traditional, low-rise, single family houses. In clear contrast to its surrounds, the complex is a decidedly new statement in terms of structure, elevations and internal apartment layout. The three-storey building is served by two groups of stairs and lifts. The architecture is a composition of orthogonal geometries and volumes which although based on the rectangle have an irregularity that avoids excessive symmetry. The last two storeys, for example, have open terraces (belonging to the most prestigious apartments). This slight yet deliberate dissonance is evident in the elevations, to some extent reflecting the complex and variegated apartment floor plans – for the most part on two-levels, with customised solutions and double height volumes. Seen as a whole, the building gives the appearance of a deliberately irregular juxtaposition of different cross sections. The façades use three different materials. Horizontal cladding strips of treated granite blocks form a basic frame, running horizontally like string courses or vertically, projecting the section of the apartments to the façade and marking out the ample glazed lights. The base of the building is clad in finely perforated metal ornamented mesh. Large expanses of the elevations comprise panels of either transparent or reflective glazing. Together with the rows of windows, these different sized panels have been slotted into the façade creating interesting geometrical compositions. Contrasting with the transparent glass panes, the more vertical reflective panels are deliberately ambiguous, their opacity giving the impression that the building is a series of open and solid volumes. Vertical metal sections surround the windows. Together with an outer cylindrical element housing perforated aluminium roll-shutters, they form...
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Duilio Damilano
Duilio Damilano
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