Minimal upgrades transform compact post-war home

Shaped by a vision to maintain the ecological and architectural integrity of a post-war neighborhood, architectural firm OFIS has completed the House under the Poplars in the Murgle district of Ljubljana, Slovenia. Located at the edge of a row of atrium houses, the project reconstructs and extends a peripheral dwelling, updating it to contemporary and sustainable home, while preserving the understated principles that define the district.

The Murgle settlement is characterized by its collection of compact timber homes that have been built on minimal foundations. Streets and plots are oriented around existing trees, and homes adopt simple architectural designs to capture daylight and ventilation. The neighborhood’s planning logic draws on Scandinavian design concepts that emphasize functionality, restraint, and environmental responsiveness. These principles have guided the reconstruction of the House under the Poplars, ensuring the home remains compatible with the broader vision of the zone.

"The settlement’s identity is defined not by signature architecture but by its collective low-tech intelligence: timber houses raised on simple strip foundations in marshland soil, ventilated roofs, porous street edges, and a planning logic guided by the geometry of existing trees," explains OFIS. "The whole neighborhood is in fact an imported Nordic ethic – the architects absorbed Scandinavian thinking during their time in Sweden, then reinterpreted it for Ljubljana’s climate, culture, and materials."

The OFIS architects posed the question of how these timber homes could be renewed without losing the DNA that makes the zone so unique. The original structure was in need of several structural interventions. The timber elements and roofing materials were considerably degraded, and the building no longer met adequate requirements for insulation, airtightness, or sustainable performance.

The architects decided to upgrade the house with cross-laminated timber, which enabled them to preserve the home’s original volumes, proportions, and minimalist character. The reconstruction maintained the architectural clarity of the 1980s typology, while bringing a contemporary touch and improving standards for thermal efficiency.

A new extension on the western side of the home faces the garden and introduces a secondary timber-and-glass volume. The addition provides extra living space and functions as a transitional zone, moderating light and temperature before it reaches the interior rooms. Brick columns reference the original façade, maintaining visual continuity, while a mature birch tree was preserved and included in the foundation design.

The 122-sq-m (1,313-sq-ft) interior boasts an open living and dining zone, with floor-to-ceiling glass panels. A glass light well is also featured at the center of the floor, giving views of the underground cellar space below, while also serving to draw natural light into this lower level. The home is completed with a compact modern kitchen, two bedrooms, service bathroom, main bathroom, and study nook.

The House under the Poplars is intended to serve as a prototype for future renovations; allowing residents to update the look and performance of their home, while also respecting the historic significance of the district.

Source: OFIS arhitekti