Somewhere deep in the subconscious of every architect lies the image of an old copperplate engraving, depicting a young woman who, with a curved arm, points to a simple wooden structure in the background, a depiction reminiscent of a primitive hut. The four corners of the building are adorned with the trunks of lushly foliaged trees, with a roof structure made from branches placed among them. This, of course, refers to the copperplate engraving on the cover of Laugier's "Essays on Architecture."
Upon viewing the House Among the Birches, a charming wooden house in the Gorenjska region, which has been attracting attention for some years now with its unassuming charm, the mind inevitably wanders back to the primitive hut. The structure is nestled in a birch grove, which decisively shapes its appearance. In collaboration with the clients, nature enthusiasts, the architect ensured that the surrounding trees became integral elements of the architecture, interacting with it and complementing it. All existing trees on the site were preserved, and those branches that needed to be removed for construction were repurposed as building materials. The characteristic texture of birch trunks finds its echo on the balcony railings and the main staircase.
The connection between the building and nature in the case of House Among the Birches is more meaningful than just the usual merging of exterior and interior through panoramic windows, although that aspect is also carefully considered. The placement of the structure in its micro-location, the birch grove, which provides a habitat for various species of birds and small animals, is complemented by its placement in the broader context, with views towards the nearby foothills, and with a consideration of its presence in the global world, as it is designed and built with the idea of local self-sufficiency in mind. In a sense, the House Among the Birches, following the example of the primitive hut, becomes an allegory for all architecture as it should be: attentive and conscious on spatial and temporal, local and global levels.
Ajda Bračič
