The area of ​​family farming today in the Orava region

Idea projektu

The project envisions a modern reinterpretation of the traditional Orava farmstead through modular, self-build architecture rooted in cultural memory. It aims to reconnect rural living with historical typologies while responding to today’s social, economic, and ecological challenges. Organized around a 5 × 5 m grid and designed for gradual expansion, the proposal integrates residential, agricultural, and storage functions into one coherent and flexible system. Using simple, durable materials—concrete columns, timber frames, and traditional gable roofs—the design ensures affordability and construction simplicity, empowering users to take part in the building process. Each structure is tailored to its function yet unified through proportion, rhythm, and form derived from vernacular heritage. Attention is given to sustainability through passive strategies, green roofs, and water management systems that support low environmental impact and resilience in the rural landscape. This project offers a scalable model for revitalizing countryside communities while preserving the architectural language of the region—bridging the past and the future of rural development.

Popis projektu

In the context of changing rural economies and disappearing local traditions, this project proposes a new kind of farmstead that bridges the past and the future of life in the Orava region. Rather than romanticizing tradition, it distills its essence—clarity of construction, spatial economy, connection to land—and reinterprets these qualities through a modular, adaptable architecture. The design centers around a structural grid that enables phased development, low-tech building methods, and user-led growth, making it both accessible and resilient. The buildings are deliberately modest in scale, yet rich in references to vernacular forms—timber cladding, steep gable roofs, and simple proportions create a recognizable identity rooted in place. Their functionality emerges from clear zoning: living, farming, and storing interlock across the site in a compact yet expandable framework. The architecture is not static—it’s a system of possibilities, open to transformation over time as needs evolve. By reconnecting architecture with hands-on making, self-sufficiency, and cultural context, the project becomes more than a built proposal. It’s a vision for empowering communities to reclaim authorship over their environment—using the language of their own landscape.

Technické informácie

This project presents a contemporary modular farmstead in the Orava region, Slovakia, integrating traditional rural values with modern construction techniques. The structural system is based on a 5 × 5 meter grid, using circular reinforced concrete columns (Ø 400 mm) as primary supports for a timber-framed roof structure. The architecture draws from local archetypes—long, narrow volumes with steep 50° gable roofs—executed using simple, durable materials like timber rafters and trapezoidal sheet metal cladding. External walls are clad with vertically mounted spruce boards, referencing regional vernacular techniques while providing climate resilience and visual unity. Each building serves a specific function within the farmstead—residential units, animal shelters, hay storage, and equipment sheds—organized in a clear spatial hierarchy. The modular system allows future expansion by adding building segments without disrupting form or functionality. All structures are supported on reinforced concrete slabs, offering solid ground contact and adaptability to flat terrain. Interiors remain modest and user-oriented, favoring local materials and construction processes accessible to self-builders. Environmentally, the design prioritizes low-impact strategies: green roof systems improve thermal balance and stormwater retention, while the site incorporates rainwater infiltration zones, filtration chambers, and retention tanks to manage on-site hydrology. Through minimal yet thoughtful detailing, the architecture balances cultural identity, practical construction logic, and contemporary sustainability principles—providing a replicable, self-sufficient rural living model rooted in Orava's legacy.