Residential Building in Čolak Antina Street

Situated in a historic neighborhood, the house responds to tight urban constraints and nearby structures. It combines multi-level single family living with a spatially open courtyard. The concrete shell and brick volume define its expressive form and material identity.

The plot’s limited size and the proximity of neglected neighboring buildings presented key challenges. The house turns inward, forming a private courtyard that organizes the interior spatially and functionally. The massing responds to strict urban parameters while creating an expressive sculptural form. The design avoids direct confrontation with its context, instead defining a new internal order—open, cohesive, and intimate. The spatial strategy ensures privacy, light, and continuity between indoor and outdoor spaces, aligning with the client's desire for calm, daylit family living in a dense urban setting.

The structure is defined by a concrete membrane forming the primary envelope, within which a suspended brick volume creates contrast and spatial depth. Exposed concrete and traditional brickwork reflect both modernist and contextual influences. The open-plan ground floor enhances passive ventilation and natural lighting. Sustainable strategies include compact massing, durable low-maintenance materials, and orientation toward the courtyard for microclimatic control. The use of honest, robust materials minimizes long-term maintenance and ensures aging with dignity in an urban environment marked by impermanence.