Why every build, even a single villa, needs a BIM specialist
Building Information Modelling is no longer just for airports and hospitals. On a house in Istria it can save months, money and a great deal of arguing.
The Journal
Architecture
Architects worth knowing in Istria
Choosing an architect is the single decision that shapes everything else. A short guide to how to choose, and a few studios we recommend.
What Istria can learn from Mallorca and Tuscany (without copying them)
Spain and Italy set the standard for Mediterranean houses long ago. Istria can reach it, but only by being more Istrian, not less.
The kažun: Istria's dry-stone field hut explained
Round, roofed in stone and built without a drop of mortar, the kažun has become the symbol of Istria. What it was for, how it was built, and where to see one.
How an architect and an atelier work together from the first sketch
When the furniture maker joins at design stage, not after handover, built-ins fit, sockets land in the right place and clients sign off with confidence.
Venetian Istria: how to read the heritage of the coastal towns
For five centuries the Republic of Venice ruled the Istrian coast. Its lions, loggias, bell towers and Gothic windows still define Rovinj, Poreč, Novigrad and Pula.
Designing with Istrian light
The light here is the reason many people fall in love with the region. A house that works with it feels effortless; one that fights it never feels quite right.
Restoring a stone house: keep the soul, upgrade the comfort
The old stone houses of inland Istria are some of the most beautiful homes in Europe. Restoring one well is a balance between respect and modern life.
Beram and the Dance of Death: Istria's finest medieval frescoes
In a small church in the woods near Pazin, a fifteenth-century painter covered every wall with colour. His Dance of Death is one of the great images of medieval Europe.
For architects: working with a furniture atelier, from shop drawings to installation
Your design drawings say what the furniture should be. Shop drawings say exactly how it will be made. A practical guide to the stage between approval and the day the last door is hung.
Roman Istria: the amphitheatre, temples and villas to see
Two thousand years ago Istria was a Roman province of colonies, farms and seaside villas. Much of it is still standing, often in the middle of everyday life.
In collaboration with Lampisa
Made in Istria, made for your room
Tables, beds, sofas, kitchens and storage, drawn for your house and built in Istria on a plywood structure, never particleboard. Better than the retail park, without the showroom price.