A Slovenian Vacation Home's Design Stays True to Its Natural Surroundings

When a family living in Italy craved a slower pace, they returned to their Slovenian roots to build a vacation home. They asked local architecture firm Pikaplus to design a quiet retreat where they could put their busy lives behind them, and the two groups agreed to do something "a little bit different, but still comfortable and minimalistic," landscape architect Tina Lipovž said. With a plan in mind, the clan settled on the construction of a 880-square-foot wooden hideaway nestled at the edge of a forest clearing. Architect Jana Hladnik Tratnik and the owners designed the striking A-frame of the structure, which allows for every room on the site to have natural views. Furthermore, the property was built as a "resilient shelter" with a durable outer shell, which protects its wood interiors from the changing seasons. It's a secluded address that feels like an airy extension of the outdoors, far removed from the noise of a distant city.