Martina Hügli
MSc Architecture ETH
Projects
Writing
Info
Smolići I & II
Private Commission in Istria, Croatia
2023-2026
New-built houses and a re-furbished stone-walled barn are carefully integrated into an existing rurual landscape overlooking the Kvarner bay on the eastern coast of the Istrian peninsula.
The residential project is intended for permanent occupation. The holiday homes that complement it question current residential hospitality dynamics in that they question what is really needed when renting a home for vacation: dimly lit interiors with thick walls to seek refuge from the summer heat, and large open-air kitchens that invite to cook besides and with the lush surrounding gardens.
Both hoses feature passive energy systems and waive air conditioning. Instead, as one of the first projects in the region, they use intelligent heat-pumps for floor heating or cooling, and additional room ventilation with climate recovery systems. Energy-wise, they are self-sustaining as they generate all electricity needed with photovoltaic panels. Moreover, they collect rainwater in a large tank, that can be re-used for irrigation during dry seasons.