Mini Patchwork House

The plot is situated on the Croatian island of Lošinj, in the town of Veli Lošinj. Access to the site is possible only by a steep and narrow local road, which leads to the top of the hill, where the stone ruins of an old barn are located. The plot is a short distance from the sea shore, but the view is spectacular and offers great vistas of the island, the sea and the town of Veli Lošinj.

The existing stone building is quite small, only 5 x 5,60 m. The whole building can be treated as one big room, which needs to be divided into several zones without adding new walls.

The small interior of the house is open and flexible. With two wooden floor panels we divided the space and gained three visually connected levels: living area that opens into the garden on the ground floor, service corridor on the mid-level and sleeping area with a large window, which offers great views of the sea, on the 1st floor level.

The exterior view of the proposed house shows the relationship between the old and new structure. The existing stone ruins remain untouched, built with an old technique without a predefined pattern. On top of the old building, a new stone structure is added with an exact geometrical grid that highlights the patchwork of old and new.

An important part of the project is a private garden in front of the house, hidden behind stone ruins. In summer the garden becomes an extension of the ground floor living space. The garden and the entire ground floor of the house are paved with terracotta bricks, laid in fishbone pattern. The secret Mediterranean garden surprises the visitor even before entering with smells of aromatic plants and citrus trees.