CURRENT PROJECT
PRIVATE HOUSE
IN MONTENEGRO
First, I was invited to consult on the renovation of an unfinished building in Montenegro — a private country house located about 15 minutes from the sea. We began the work, and the project is now moving into the finishing stage.
The initial condition of the building was rather challenging. It sits in a mountainous area with a picturesque view and is partially anchored into the rock. The original project dates back to the Yugoslav era, and, naturally, none of the original drawings have survived. The foundation and first floor were laid in the 1980s, after which additional structures were built. For some time — possibly several years — the building stood without a roof. To give an idea of the chaotic nature of these additions, I’ll share just one detail: a row of reinforced concrete columns, nearly nine meters high and intended to support the roof ridge, ran directly through the center of the third-floor interior. After the first on-site measurements, we discovered that one of the central columns on the lower floor had no proper support at all — it was resting simply on a floor slab.
The second floor of the house was conceived as a single, open space together with the mezzanine level. The client wanted to preserve the sense of openness that existed when only the reinforced concrete frame stood.
Following the client’s wishes, I designed the second floor to be as open as possible. The guest restroom, located near the entrance, is the only enclosed room on this level. Panoramic south-facing windows turn the surrounding landscape into part of the interior, allowing daylight to flood every corner.
On the mezzanine floor, only the bathroom is enclosed by partitions. The bedroom and dressing area, both situated under one sloped roof, received additional windows along the same axis. Movement throughout the mezzanine happens “toward the light.”
A walkway gallery connects the bedroom to the bathroom without passing through the dressing area and opens onto a view of the panoramic windows and the living room below. The bathroom also has access to an open balcony.
Finding the optimal location for the staircase to the mezzanine was a challenge, as the layout was constrained by the existing grid of reinforced concrete columns and beams. The staircase now stands along the main entrance axis and is visible from nearly every point of the space. The intermediate landing features an additional window, bringing in natural light.
Additional windows were introduced on this façade at both levels. They bring light into the entry zone and allow evening sunlight to reach the fireplace seating area. A custom-made shelving unit, framing the fireplace and integrating the vertical flue from the lower floor, transformed the freestanding Vermont Castings stove into the key focal point of the interior.
The open-plan area connects to two terraces: one on the south side for sunbathing, and another for evening gatherings around a private outdoor fireplace. This terrace is linked to the lower floor by an exterior staircase, allowing two generations of the family to spend time together while maintaining independence.
In addition to the structural complexities of the existing framework, the original layout lacked a coherent system for vertical utilities. The sewage pipes had been brought to the façade from different sides of the building, and the bathrooms had no proper ventilation. Therefore, when developing the new plan, I began by consolidating all vertical service shafts in one location.
On the second floor, a Victorian-style Topcer tile rug mirrors the proportions of the double-height space and visually echoes the flooring in the mezzanine bathroom. On the first floor, a rectangular tile composition defines and centers the main living area. The ground level features its own lounge area connected to the upper floor, as well as a separate entrance.
The house also includes a basement level used for storage and technical purposes. One of the most complex tasks we managed to solve was how to compactly integrate several exterior staircases leading to all three levels within the entrance zone.
