c.Luna

Architects: JSª: Javier Sánchez - Juan Soler, Diana Elizalde, Angelica Soberanes, Enrique Salazar, Ana Luna, Alejandro Ita
Location: Temístocles 12, col. Polanco, Mexico D.F., Mexico
Project year: 2006
Client: Grupo Pegaso
Structure & Services: Hector Margain, Fernando Valdivia
Contractor: Ménsula México S.A. de C.V.
Architectural Supervision: Mariana Ugalde
Technical Supervision: Hugo Mendoza
Average Area: 150 sqm
Total Area: 1,892 sqm
Number of Units: 9 apartments
Photographs: Paúl Rivera (PR), Mariana Ugalde (MU)

Temistocles 12 is a building on a rectangular-shaped property, like many others in Polanco. However, the way in which it is set on the property is the result of a structural analysis which allowed us to avoid the use of intermediate columns, and gave us great freedom in the interior distribution. A cube providing lighting and ventilation in the center is also used for stairs that go up the five levels, and reach the eight apartments and pent-house on the top level.

Four concrete walls go through the building; they become thinner toward the street, forming two volumes which make up the façade. All the apartments have an irregular terrace to the front, accentuating the verticality of the walls and the depth of the facade. A large tree, which covers the west facade, plus the wide range of apparent materials result in a building with character.

Architect: OFIS arhitekti
Location: Bohinjska Bistrica, Slovenia
Design Year: 2006
Construction Year: 2006-2007
Collaborators: Rok Oman, Špela Videčnik, Martina Lipicer, Meta Fortuna, Andrej Gregoric
Shopping mall Design: Jelka Šolmajer (Mercator Optima)
Structural Engineering: Milan Sorc, Projecta d.o.o. Ljubljana
Technical Engineering: Matej Jelen, Bambi d.n.o.
Contractor: Gradis Skupina G d.d., Ljubljana
Client: Gradis Skupina G d.d., Ljubljana
Site Area: 4,200 sqm
Constructed Area: 7,500 sqm
Budget: 4,5 M EURO (US $7,08 M)
Photographs: Tomaz Gregoric

The initial task from the client was to build a new shopping mall on the plot of the existing one.
Furthermore the new project proposed use of the shopping roof for additional volume-as new apartments.
The wooden mass is located centrally in the village of Bohinjska Bistrica in the alpine area of Lake Bohinj. The village has beautiful views towards the mountains but unfortunately it was architecturally damaged in the 60s with a textile factory and housing blocks, that were build around them. The textile factory was later closed down and the plot later occupied the old shopping mall and today the new one. The side views therefore are not very nice.

The organization of the housing and the envelope of the apartments open towards mountain views and the sun. Therefore the front, wooden facade is mostly transparent with panoramic windows. The side facade is closed - the windows open towards the balcony that is cut into the volume. From side windows also view open to the mountains.

The stepped volume of the building follows the silhouette of surrounding landscape. On top of the shopping mall apartments are set in the form of stepped L-volume. >From the west strong wind and snow arrives the facade is opened only towards enclosed balconies and its material is gray slate - it is designed as a vertical roof. L-shape volume encloses inner communal garden that is the roof of the shopping mall.

The front and courtyard facade is warm and opened, made of wooden verticals with different rhythm.
Wood - local larch is used and slates in diagonal pattern are traditional materials used for roof and facade. Play of transparency formed by wooden verticals that form balcony fences, facade panels or mask characterizes the north and south part of the building. On the east and west pitched rhomboid-textured roof interpolates into vertical surfaces that protect apartments from snow and wind. Shopping mall facade is combination of steel and glass panels.

Apartments are of different sizes - from 40m2 studio flats up to 120m2 apartment with gallery. They are made of local materials such as wooden oak floors; granite tiled bathrooms and mainly has large windows with metal blinds. The concept of structure is made in a way, that floor plans are flexible, since only structural walls are those, that separate apartment shell from the rest of the building. All other inner walls are non-structural.

The structure is made as combination of columns in the shopping mall area and structural walls in the area of shopping storages and services. The same structure is adapted towards the cellar, where parking is located and towards the upper floors where apartments are. The slabs are of reinforced concrete, the rest of walls are brick.

Pitched roof is made as combination of flat roof at the top of the building. The purpose is to hide all installations such as chimneys, ventilation and external air-conditioning.

Architect: OFIS arhitekti
Location: Ljubljana, Slovenia
Design Year: 2005-2006
Construction Year: 2006-2007
Project leaders: Rok Oman & Špela Videčnik
Design Team: Martina Lipicer - udia, Nejc Batistic - udia, Andrej Gregoric - cand.arh, Ana Kosi - stud.arch.
Programme: Social apartments with parking
Client: Gradis G group, Ljubljana
Constructed Area: 5,000 sqm
Nº of floors: 4 floors + 2 underground parking
Budget: Construction: 650 EURO/sqm (US $1,020)
Ceilling: 1,200 EURO/sqm (US $1,880)
Photographs: Tomaz Gregoric

The location is on the edge of the planned 650 apartments which was finished year ago. Also this apartment block is social type and was sold to Slovenian Housing Fund.

The given urban plot of the building was 4 floors high, 58 meters long and 15 in width.
Since the orientation of the building is towards the busy highway the apartment opening together with balconies are shifted as 30 degrees window-wings towards the quieter and south orientated side. In the future also 2 more blocks are planned on both longitudinal sides; therefore there are no direct windows towards east and west. Each apartment has view towards its own balcony, sometimes there is also a glazed loggia. On this way intimacy is created and there will be no direct views from ones apartment directly to the others in the opposite block.

Apartments are of different sizes - from 30m2 studio flats up to 3 room apartment of 70m2. Bigger apartments are developed on the front facades and have nicer views and corner orientation. They are made of economic but quality materials such as wooden oak floors, granite tiled bathrooms and have large windows with external metal blinds. The concept of structure is made in a way, that floor plans are flexible, since only structural walls are those, that separate apartment shell from the rest of the building. All other inner walls are non-structural.

Long after the elevations were planned many people associated them to Tetris game. And so the building got its name. The façade was developed simply - just tracing the floor plan organization.
The inner - structural façade wall has plaster; the external wall that embraces the loggia is glazed or wrapped into precast panel. These panels are wooden of three colors that are tracing the vertical zigzag pattern. Balcony fences are either perforated precast panel or transparent metal fence.