An old brick factory is expanded and transformed into a villa. The protagonist of the project is the contrast: inside, looking towards the other side, the view of the handmade brick roof strongly contrasts with the surrounding white walls, constituting the defining aspect of the project.
One of the renovation projects by Architekti B.K.P.Š is located on a site that used to house a brick factory with the owner's residence attached. The original house, restored in the 90s, was a typical traditional house with a porch. The porch, an architectural element typical of houses in the area, serves as a transition and interaction between the interior and exterior, also regulating the effects of the sun in summer and winter.
The expansion was conceived as a continuation of the silhouette of the existing house. Remaining loyal to its exterior old appearance but completely changing all the rules inside in the layout of the spaces, the architects expanded the interior by designing a double-height open space. The view opens up to the brick roof, characterized by a beautiful decorative mosaic derived from the different shades of handmade bricks.
While brick walls on the exterior have been intentionally left exposed, the interior has been finished with a classic lime plaster, applied without any additional covering, to maintain a simple and essential architectural language. One of the key concepts that recurs in various parts of the building is indeed the decision to leave the materials in their natural state, without superficial treatments or decorative finishes, conveying the idea of "unfinished" architecture that reveals the material and its history.
The thermal comfort of the spaces is ensured by the massive structure of the roof, designed not only as a covering element but as an integral part of the climate control system. Its mass allows it to store heat and release it slowly. Similarly, the glass porch is an element aimed at ensuring thermal comfort, acting as a climate buffer for most of the year: retaining heat in winter and mitigating direct solar radiation in summer.
