The Lebenski apartment building is located on the edge of the mountain forest zone in Horný Smokovec, in the locality known as Pekná vyhliadka (Beautiful View). The site is visible from Poprad, a city in northern Slovakia at the foot of the High Tatras. Its location within a mountainous landscape influenced the scale and expression of the project.
Project background
The name Lebenski refers to the original sanatorium Nový život (New Life), constructed in the early 1960s. After gradual deterioration and loss of its architectural and functional qualities from the 1990s onwards, the building was later acquired by project investor and developer Bukna & Laurinčík. In 2023, the investor initiated its conversion into an apartment building and commissioned Slovakian studio Atrium Architekti to lead the reconstruction.
Regulatory framework and design approach
The reconstruction was shaped by regulations set by the Tatra National Park (TANAP) authority and the town of Vysoké Tatry, which administers the High Tatras area, alongside the investor’s requirement to maximise the use of available space. The project retained the original building height, built-up area, and overall silhouette. Residential capacity was increased by converting the attic and basement into habitable spaces.
Atrium Architekti referenced the architectural tradition of Tatra mountain hotels as a starting point for the redesign, with the intention of re-establishing the building’s formal elegance. Reflecting on the project, the studio said: “The opportunity to work in the environment of the High Tatras architecture is not a typology we encounter every day. The local Tatra architecture is a historical layer dating back to the Austro-Hungarian era. We find influences from Switzerland, Italy, and Budapest, but also the roots of the local environment and folklore. It is an important architectural footprint of Slovakia and working in this context was an interesting challenge for which we are grateful.”
Structural transformation
During reconstruction, the original reinforced concrete structure of the three-storey building was reduced to its load-bearing skeleton and statically re-engineered, with particular emphasis on the attic and basement. A key technical challenge was the conversion of the basement into residential units, including areas beneath a newly designed terrace. As the original terrace was positioned directly on the ground, it was extended laterally and supported by a new foundation system. The basement apartments were designed as two-level units to achieve adequate clear heights.
Roof, facade, and exterior elements
The original gable roof was replaced with a hip roof extension, a form commonly associated with traditional mountain architecture. The new roof accommodates maisonette apartments with living galleries and recessed terraces oriented towards the south. Balconies and loggias were added around the perimeter of the building and window openings were enlarged to extend views of the surrounding High Tatras landscape.
Material treatment differentiates the upper and lower levels of the building. Zinc-titanium cladding was applied to the third floor and attic, while the first and second floors are finished with a rendered facade. The original plinth, constructed from granite blocks approximately 40 centimetres deep, was dismantled and re-laid. Despite the complexity and cost of this process, the investor elected to retain the stone base as part of the reconstruction.
Apartment layouts and access
A mix of 40 apartments includes smaller units as well as maisonettes with gallery spaces. Within the interiors, Atrium Architekti defined basic spatial arrangements, ceiling heights, and key material elements, including a palette of neutral colours, light floors, and wood finishes.
Mobility and surroundings
Parking is organised using grass grid paving. The site benefits from proximity to public transport, with the Tatra Electric Railway (TEŽ) located less than 100 metres from the building, providing connections to nearby mountain resorts and express services to Poprad. A pedestrian route running below the site follows Cesta slobody (Road of Freedom), linking the High Tatras settlements of Tatranská Lomnica and Tatranská Polianka.
