Museum of Slovene Film Actors
Divača, Slovenia
2011

* Title: Museum of Slovene Film Actors

* Address: Divača, Slovenia

* Year of construction: 2011

* Thematic focus: Reuse and transformation of existing structures, Local production chains and cycles

* Project text: Škratelj's house in Divača, a settlement in the centre of the Slovenian Karst, is a typical example of Karst architecture. The extraordinary composition of buildings and walls preserves most of the typical urban and architectural principles that have developed in the Karst over the centuries. The farmstead consisted of three buildings, freely arranged in space but with a clear hierarchy. Along the main road was the dwelling house, which was designed with rich architectural expression and detail. The functional buildings of the stable and the hayloft, however, were more modestly designed and relegated to the interior of the farmhouse, in keeping with their purpose. The loose layout of the buildings is linked by walls, which are the most characteristic element of the architectural language of the Karst region. The walls unite the freestanding buildings, forming open spaces between them, and then extend into the landscape, forming the outer perimeter of the homestead. The drystone wall has always belonged to both architecture and landscape.

In 1907, the first Slovenian film actress - Ita Rina - was born in Škratelj`s House. Her birthplace was completely renovated in 1997 and a permanent exhibition on her life and work was installed on the first floor. At the opening of the permanent exhibition, the idea of renovating the entire homestead into the Museum of Slovenian Film Actors was born.

Before the renovation, the former barn and hayloft had almost completely collapsed, with only the perimeter walls remaining, which were themselves in a critical state of disrepair. The courtyard was unkempt and overgrown, and parts of the walls had been demolished. Despite its poor condition, the farmhouse was protected for its outstanding architectural and socio-cultural features.

The renovation focused on the two dilapidated buildings and the open space between them. The former barn was converted into a permanent exhibition of Slovenian film actors, while the former hayloft was converted into a multi-purpose hall. Particular attention was paid to the outdoor space and the re-establishment of a spatial hierarchy that takes the visitor through a narrow funnel-shaped passage from the street to the courtyard, from the courtyard to the new outdoor auditorium and finally into the open but enclosed landscape of the farmhouse.

The perimeter walls and the walls between the buildings were rehabilitated using a typical stone construction technique, without the use of mortar. The rehabilitation of the walls between the buildings has restored the central open space of the farmhouse - the courtyard. The courtyard is paved in a grid, with stone from the nearby quarry. The different sizes of the paving stones are derived from one basic module. Behind the apparent complexity of the paving scheme is a basic module to which all stone sizes are subordinated. There are wide joints between the paving stones, which are tamped. The paving connects the entrances to all three buildings and is carried to all internal edges, and in the narrow passage alongside the house it is extended to the street space. On the other side, the courtyard flows out into the landscape, first into a large meadow, which gradually and gently descends into a karst sinkhole. This passage has been made possible by the removal of the wall that once separated the meadow and the sinkhole. The result is a unique and rare blend of architecture and open landscape within the settlement.

The architectural intervention was based on the preserved stone walls of the barn and hayloft. Due to the different uses and sizes of the buildings, a separate intervention was designed for each building, but they are united by design, construction and material principles.

The former barn was partly two storeys high and the roof was built on two levels. The new intervention takes advantage of the difference in height between the north and south walls. The walls were structurally reinforced and a metal frame structure was laid on top of them, supporting the wooden floor slab, the roof and the new façade. The interior cladding is timber and flush with the structure, the two materials being uniform in colour. The roof covering is typically local, the side elevations are of thin suspended stone panels. The existing walls are plastered by hand, the colour being achieved with local sand and the addition of earth. There is a gap between the existing (load-bearing) masonry and the new (load-bearing) façade. The point of contact between the past and the present is left to immaterial light. Inside, the new construction does not touch the ground and hangs over the completely open ground floor. Only the stairs to the first floor touch the ground floor.

The multi-purpose hall in the former hayloft allowed for a more modest intervention. The new steel structure rests on the old wall and carries the roof, while inside new acoustic cladding extends from the roof to one side of the hall. The hall is used by museum visitors and local residents.

The renovation of the entire complex was completed in 2011, since when it has become an important cultural centre on the periphery, as well as a new village focal point, with great spatial and social importance for the local community.

By renovating the existing buildings, choosing local contractors and materials, involving local residents and decentralising the cultural offer, the project is perhaps more relevant today than it was at the time of its creation.

01 Why is this project particularly relevant for PIONIRA?

The renovation of the old homestead in Divača was not yet relevant in the media at the time of its construction. Today, it can be seen as a project that shares Pionira's fundamental principles - building on the periphery, renovating abandoned buildings of vernacular heritage, creating a new public space for residents and culture, using local materials, and respecting the relationship of contemporary architecture to the past.

02 What have you learned from the project? What challenges did you encounter, and how did you solve them?

The renovation of Škrateljna Homestead is our first project where we have learnt to bridge the gap between the drawn and the built object. We have learnt to communicate with everyone involved in the project. The renovation of the old homestead in Divača was not yet relevant in the media at the time of its construction. Today, it can be seen as a project that shares Pionira's fundamental principles - building on the periphery, renovating abandoned buildings of vernacular heritage, creating a new public space for residents and culture, using local materials, and respecting the relationship of contemporary architecture to the past.

03 What advice could you provide, based on the project?

Vernacular architecture is a treasure trove of architectural principles. The anonymous builders of the past could only rely on local materials and a good knowledge of the environment. Buildings are placed in space by looking at geographical features. The construction and processing of materials is based on the properties of the material.

04 How would you like to build in the future?

The language of contemporary architecture is diverse. With a good knowledge of the past, the contemporary language of architecture can be linked to the past in a relevant address to the present and the future.