Three Stacked Blocks

The plot for the new family house is in Sneberje, cadastral municipality Zadobrova, Slovenia. It borders the busy Sneberska road to the south, smaller residential buildings to the east and northeast, and tall trees to the west and northwest, shielding a wide meadow where housing blocks are planned.

By stacking the wooden volumes perpendicularly, we created uneven spaces with varying heights where it makes sense. This simple move adds character to otherwise conventional, even dull living areas, turning them into two- or three-level spaces. It also visually connects all three floors, encouraging interaction across the home.

The design started with the house's maximum volume, set by the municipal land-use plan. By digging deeper into the plot, the regulations could be met while still allowing for three floors: one for the parents, one for the kids, and a shared ground floor where the family spends most of their time. The three levels are defined by three stacked "wooden blocks" (cross-laminated timber), rotated perpendicularly, each holding all the services: toilet, utility, bathroom, kitchen, and storage.

The first-floor wooden block, oriented east-west and pushed north, is for the parents, featuring a master bedroom, bathroom, closet, and sauna. It provides easy access to the ground floor living area and upper-floor children's rooms. A small mezzanine office overlooks the living area and service corridor.

The whole 3rd floor, which is an attic space, is intended for the two children. Here the two upholstered sleeping niches and a large shared playing area with bathroom are placed in a wooden block, oriented in a north-south direction.