The assignment was to envision a house for a temporary family retreat for an owner of a cosmetics company, that would use the site to farm and cultivate olives for the needs of the company. The architect encountered the problems that come with a site without infrastructure while at the same time satisfying the needs of the user – temporary habitation and olive farming care.

Conceptually the architect is falling back on the tradition of the micro/macro climate and heritaga of Vis island and the Mediterranean so the approach to design is bioclimate oriented. The house is envisioned as an digged in volume, and residential pocket between the stretch and the stone wall. The leisure areas are digged in/ green roof/ and only certain areas are above terrain level and the minimalist design that is created by the primary needs – sleeping area, food preparations,leisure and work. The needs of the user, type of construction and application of materials is lowered to a minimum so that the natural resources could suffice. The design that emerges from such conditions is unobtrusive, subtle, creates a symbiosis with the new/old stone-wall topography. Sustainable design has shown to be the only solution for the completion of the project, that encompasses the plausibility of the project, minimal costs, satisfaction of all user needs, local government and urban plans as well as the architectural expression. This project is on one hand unique, innovative and conformed to the individual and on the other in tune with the construction heritage of the whole mediterranean culture as such.

All the bearing elements are made of reinforeced concrete, which in the interior are also a finished look. Stone from the site was used for the cladding of the facade, terrace and new bearing walls on the site – from the remains of the site excavation and stone from the old stone walls that have lost their structural integrity. Wood for the pool terrace, floors and shutters for sun protection are from local origin. Sun protection is made of lightweight panels that are filled with pine cones found on location.

SUSTANAIBILTIY CONCEPT

The main approach to design is bioclimate oriented – with regard to the requests of the investor and the characteristics of the location – an area without infrasructure and a hardly accessible site on a steep slope.

Innovation in architectural design in the sense of reinventing simple traditional construction technologies typical to the mediterranean, something that is in times of hi-tech architecture forgotten and abandoned, while it actually completely satisfies the needs of the modern man. The shape of the house is a reinvented Socrates megaron, the stone-wall is reinterpreted as various types of composite walls and the materials from the site are used in new ways...

In this way a specific example is given of sustainable construction and production in locations that are abandoned, unpopulated, not only in Croatia but also in the Mediterranean as a whole.

Even though the coastline of the island is prosperous due to turism, the inland of the island is almost abandoned, and cultivated sites like these are uncared for. People are leaving, and quality sites for cultivation are mainly unexploited. The investor wants to expand his production at a minimal cost, use of local materials, employment of local firms and people, as well as his family. This should be the beginning of a trend of a revival of individual businesses, expansion of work and a more active role of local communities in the support of new entrepreneurship.

The project makes minimal alterations to the terrain, and what it takes it replenishes (keeping the indigenous species of the island) and the terrain that is taken from the floor plans is put back on the roof of the building as a green roof. Easily available and renewable materials – from the site or extended location, lower cost of transport and work. The limestone (vapnenac): the natural resource of the area, has a high degree of sustainability and it almost needs no maintenance, extremely long durability, no harmful effects to the environment and people (the natural surroundings are rugged)

Wood: used in the wooden deck on the south terrace along the pool. Extremely low heat conduction needed for the pool use during the summer months.

The use of high and low vegetation/ branches, pine needles/ on the site are used as thermic isolation in the wooden panels that come between the stone as cladding and the walls as a bearing structure.

The wired panels are filled with pine cones which are moving elements for sun protection but providing also good ventilation.

-100% energetic autonomy–solar panels and photoenergetic cells–heat containers (stones from the site) -Low energy use due to the bioclimate oriented design-passive ventilation and cooling, south exposed during winter, protected during summer -Recycling of rain water for the irrigation of olive and house use–systems of natural filters (on the principles of gravity–use of the terrain slope) -materials that are compatible to the local area and weather conditions and as such ensure the longevity of the structure and minimal maintenance -the possibility of turistic use in the periods when the olive plantations are not being cultivated

The traditional, rural, hand made topography of the stone-wall (need for horizontal surfaces for cultivation ) is a context that encompasses the aesthetics of the building from its bare function and microlocation. With a concise approach to construction and function of the building in an area with no infrastructure /no water, electricity / we come to the stripping of the primary needs of the living spaces, use of natural resources and limited means, which in turn create an unobtrusive aesthetic.

The traditional, rural, hand made topography of the stone-wall (need for horizontal surfaces for cultivation ) is a context that encompasses the aesthetics of the building from its bare function and microlocation. With a concise approach to construction and function of the building in an area with no infrastructure /no water, electricity / we come to the stripping of the primary needs of the living spaces, use of natural resources and limited means, which in turn create an unobtrusive aesthetic. The leisure areas are digged in (green roof) and only certain areas are above terrain level, creating spaces only for the primary needs – sleeping area, food preparations,leisure and work. The needs of the user, type of construction and application of materials is lowered to a minimum so that the natural resources could suffice.

The architect encountered problems that come with a site without infrastructure while at the same time satisfying the needs of the user – temporary habitation and olive farming care.

The leisure areas are digged in and only certain areas are above terrain level, creating spaces only for the primary needs – sleeping, cooking, leisure and work. Sustainable design has shown to be the only solution for the completion of the project, that encompasses minimal costs, satisfaction of the client, local government and urban plans as well as the architectural expression.

The project makes minimal alterations to the terrain, and what it takes it replenishes.

-100% energetic autonomy–solar panels and photoenergetic cells–heat containers (stones from the site) -Low energy use due to the bioclimate oriented design -Recycling of rain water for the irrigation of olive and house use -Materials that are compatible to the local area and weather conditions and as such ensure the longevity of the structure and minimal maintenance

Because of the steep slope site, overgrown by lush mediterranean greenery, first step was to clear up the part of the site where the building will be and to make a gravel road just to make it approachable by vehicles. Just that took almost three months to be completed. at this time the excavations for the foundations are being finished. It is expected to continue with the concrete-works this spring.All the bearing elements are made of reinforeced concrete, which in the interior are also a finished look.

The main challenge was to make the design a bioclimate oriented one– with regard to the requests of the investor and the characteristics of the location. Research was made by consulting with sustainability experts and by studying simple traditional construction technologies typical to the mediterranean, something that is in times of hi-tech architecture forgotten and abandoned, while it actually completely satisfies the needs of the modern man.

The shape of the house is a reinvented Socrates megaron, the stone-wall is reinterpreted as various types of composite walls . The architect encountered problems that come with a site without infrastructure while at the same time satisfying the needs of the user- temporary habitation and olive farming care.

The leisure areas are digged in and only certain areas are above terrain level, creating spaces only for the primary needs – sleeping, cooking, leisure and work. Sustainable design has shown to be the only solution for the completion of the project, that encompasses minimal costs, satisfaction of the client, local government and urban plans as well as the architectural expression.

The architect encountered problems that come with a site without infrastructure while at the same time satisfying the user needs : temporary habitation and olive farming care.

The primary areas are digged in and only certain areas are above terrain level, creating additional spaces.Sustainable design has shown to be the only solution for the completion of the project because it encompasses minimal costs, satisfaction of the client, regulation compliance as well as the architectural expression.

The main challenge was to make a bioclimate oriented design, with regard to the requests of the investor and the characteristics of the location.Research was made by consulting sustainability experts and by studying traditional construction technologies of the mediterranean,something that is forgotten and abandoned,while it actually completely satisfies contemporary needs.The shape of the house is a reinvented Socrates megaron, the stone-wall is reinterpreted as various types of composite walls.