Gumno House is on a flat but round plateau on a hilltop located in Risika, a small village north east of the island of Krk in Croatia. Surrounded by a low stone wall originally used for threshing grains, the new home is a Turato Architects design that plays off of the circular land formation with its doughnut shaped paving and crisscrossed top floor which sits somewhat ascue on the lower volume to create a sense of fluidity within its symmetrical asymmetry.
Turato Architects where approached by their client’s to create a summer house on the site and restoring the 40yr old circular dry stone wall and gumno to preserve the history of the site while at the same time incorporating a new garden, driveway, orchard and olive grove that would become a contemporary park where the couple could entertain family and friends.
The new home is positioned at the rear setback line on the highest spot within the site, contrary to the existing urban plan, but a proposal was put forth and eventually agreed upon that would compensate the dissimilarity to the surrounding homes by creating a new connection of the remaining gumnos in a spatial ring by the use of a new walking path with rest areas.
The architects continued the spatial juxtapositions by designing the home with a faceted concrete structure that extends out from the facade of the home with the entrance on one side and a drive through carport on another.
The boldy geometric summer house includes a large irregular shaped swimming pool with a panoramic view of the Crikvenica – Novi Vinodol Riviera and of the gumno below.
The pool is accessed through a wall of glazings off of the large living room and from this indoor living space the pool creates a continuum of the water views beyond.
The large sized living room as well as a massive, rustic cellar for konoba where important requests of the clients – as was the pool. A konoba (tavern or a bar) is a wine and oil storage space that is also used for entertaining. Accessed through a contemporary stairwell within the living space, the stairwell also leads up to 4 small and private units – each with its own terrace – for the couple and guests to use for sleeping. These four units comprise the criss cross volume ascuely perched on the social volume.
The 4 sleeping units take on a hotel vibe with their modern aesthetic, private terrace and amazing views.
With the four units projecting out at different angles there is complete privacy for everyone who sleeps there.
The architects managed to capture a sense of tranquility and calm for the summer home that was so enticing for the homeowners that they decided to turn it into their permanent, full time residence, using their family apartment in Rijeka only as a short work related home away from home.
Turato Architects
