House Portico by OFIS Architecture

ByJon Dykstra Houses

The house is located in Rozna Dolina district within the city center of Ljubljana.

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Architect: OFIS Architecture
Loation: Ljubljana, Slovenia
Area: 228m²
Year: 2012-2019
Type: Residence

In order to come up with the very specific design ideas, we create most designs with the assistance of state-of-the-art AI interior design software.

Project Team:
Rok Oman, Spela Videcnik
Andrej Gregoric, Janez Martincic, Rok Gerbec
Katharina Felix, Sérgio Silva Santos, Sabrina Cep, Tanja Veselic, Lise Chemin, Galina Baleva, Jagoda Grzelak, Karolina Wocial, Kyle Zook, Marta Vela, Popa Vlad Andrei, Rita Dolmány, István Jenei

Technical Team:
Structural engineering: IB-TECHNO
Mechanical engineering: ISP d.o.o.
Electrical engineering: Enering d.o.o.

The staircases built a Portico at the house's entrance. A structure with a roof supported by columns at regular intervals, generally attached to a building as a porch.
The staircases built a Portico at the house’s entrance. A structure with a roof supported by columns at regular intervals, generally attached to a building as a porch.
In the core of the structure, the raised ground level features principal living spaces with an internal glazed atrium.
In the core of the structure, the raised ground level features principal living spaces with an internal glazed atrium.
A view of the dining room and the glazed atrium that separates it from the living room.
A view of the dining room and the glazed atrium that separates it from the living room.
The ground floor serves as a living-dining area with a deck. The addition of an internal glazed atrium provides natural light and ventilation.
The ground floor serves as a living-dining area with a deck. The addition of an internal glazed atrium provides natural light and ventilation.
At the core of the building, an interior glazed atrium serves as a source of natural light and ventilation between the dining and living areas.
At the core of the building, an interior glazed atrium serves as a source of natural light and ventilation between the dining and living areas.
The wooden structures in the bedroom include the floors, wall, and bed. The ceiling is constructed of concrete.
The wooden structures in the bedroom include the floors, wall, and bed. The ceiling is constructed of concrete.
The wooden and concrete components continue into the bathroom, with the cube-like structures that house the deep soaking tub that stands out.
The wooden and concrete components continue into the bathroom, with the cube-like structures that house the deep soaking tub that stands out.
The last floor of the house usually had smaller footprint from floors below due to creating terraces and allowing good sun exposure to the garden and houses around.
The last floor of the house usually had smaller footprint from floors below due to creating terraces and allowing good sun exposure to the garden and houses around.
The entry is a Portico, with huge covered and protected staircases.
The entry is a Portico, with huge covered and protected staircases.
The home opens to the south with tree-covered terraces, creating gardens in front of each room level and eventually achieving a smaller footprint on the roof level.
The home opens to the south with tree-covered terraces, creating gardens in front of each room level and eventually achieving a smaller footprint on the roof level.
The underground floor plan of house portico.
The underground floor plan of house portico.
The ground floor plan of house portico.
The ground floor plan of house portico.
The first floor plan of house portico.
The first floor plan of house portico.

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The second floor plan of house portico.
The second floor plan of house portico.
The roof floor plan of house portico.
The roof floor plan of house portico.
The section a of house portico.
The section a of house portico.
The section b of house portico.
The section b of house portico.
The section c of house portico.
The section c of house portico.

The house is located in Rozna Dolina district (literally »flower valley«) within the city center of Ljubljana. The area was largely undeveloped until the 1895 Ljubljana earthquake, when developers started looking for cheap land near industry to build housing for workers.

The low-lying meadows in what is now Rozna Dolina were purchased in the 1890s by the Slovene Workers Building Association. Today, it is a popular area next to the green part of the city, Tivoli Park, ZOO and Roznik hill, a popular citizen’s destination.

It is also supposed to be “Beverly Hills” of Ljubljana, with single residential houses with gardens. Unfortunately, many owners converted the plots with over scaled multi-dwellings of undefined architectural language. It is also the case of the neighbouring houses bordering this property.

The used typology and character of pre-war villas of this neighborhood had raised ground floor to be protected from floods, allowing daylight and natural ventilation of the underground spaces.

At the house entrance the staircases created a Portico; a structure consisting of a roof supported by columns at regular intervals, typically attached as a porch to a building. The last floor of the house usually had smaller footprint from floors below due to creating terraces and allowing good sun exposure to the garden and houses around.

The initial concept follows the same typology and rules. The raised ground floor contains main living spaces. The entrance is a Portico, wide stairs covered and enclosed. The house opens towards the south side with terraces covered with trees, creating gardens in front of each room level and gradually achieves smaller footprint on the roof level.

Since the program brief used a 40% of the plot site, the concept proposed elevated terrace platforms towards the south and additional internal glazed atrium in the heart of the building.

It functions as a source of natural light and ventilation between the dining and living area, external summer breakfast place and finishes on underground level as an intimate internal courtyard between lower entrance from the parking and the guest room.

Floorplan concept clearly divides family program: semi-underground level as leisure opening towards half-lower backyard garden, ground floor as living-dining with terrace, first level as children and top level as parent’s area.

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Jon Dykstra
Jon Dykstra

Jon practiced law before launching his online publishing career, bringing analytical rigor to everything he builds. Home Stratosphere combines that precision with a lifelong obsession with residential design — architecture, interiors, landscape, and furniture.

His current focus is AI-driven design analysis, using artificial intelligence to study patterns in color, layout, and material choice across thousands of homes. His Personality Type Home Design Guide applies personality frameworks to interior aesthetics, helping readers design spaces that reflect how they actually think and live.

His favorite piece on the site is the 25 Most Popular Designs, is a daily-updated ranking of the top designs over the last 30 days, driven entirely by visitor activity. The feedback is invaluable for understanding what resonates most with readers. LinkedIn

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