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Meta Kutin

  • Site : www.mkutin.si
  • Adresse : Rožna ulica 31 1000 Ljubljana
Meta Kutin graduated in 2009 at the Faculty of Architecture, University of Ljubljana. During her studies she won the international Student's Award Piranesi. She is postgraduate student of the same faculty and investigates the impact of open space on successful educational process. Within the framework of the "Slovenian Third Age University, National Association for Education and Social Inclusion", she conducts the study programme aimed at enhancing critical thinking od older adult students in relation to the built environment. She is editor of the official web site Trajekt, Institute for Spatial Culture. She is member of Docomomo Slovenia and Architects’ Society of Ljubljana. From 2011 to 2016 she worked as a partner together with Tomaž Ebenšpanger. Since 2017 she has worked in the architectural office of her own. In 2021, she received (together with T. Ebenšpanger) the Golden Pencil Award conferred by ZAPS (the Chamber of Architecture and Spatial Planning of Slovenia) for achievement in the field of architecture for The House for Modest Residence. She is interested in small scale architecture and design in which she can devote herself to cooperation with her clients. Owing to her mentoring work in the field of the education of older adults, over the years, oriented herself towards house design and residential architecture for clients in the third age. She understands that clients, after retirement, are one of the most heterogeneous social groups which are strongly defined by individuals' past professional experiences, personal memories and attitudes toward world issues. Limitations in physical functioning (disabilities) may be one of the characteristics of older generation, yet in no case the one which mostly defines the older generation! Meta Kutin knows by experience that for high quality living of the elderly it is not enough to just know legislation and rules in the field of disabilities. Meta Kutin brings to public attention her reflections, studies, mentoring work and architectural projects through numerous published technical and non technical as well as scientific articles, exhibiitons, through lectures intended for architects and wider public, and also through delivery of her thoughts on public television and radio. For the Architects' Society of Ljubljana she is presently preparing the exhibition named City 65+, Ageing between Retreat and Urbanism, as a way of life. Through exhibition she calls attention to inevitable participation of the elderly in town planning, architecture and society in general. Social participation of older people should keep this generation in responsible, creative and participative relationship with the society. By return, this will help the architectural profession to establish a direct connection with the elderly and come to know not only their needs but also aspirations.

The House for modest residence

Authors, arhitects: Meta Kutin and Tomaž Ebenšpanger
Year: 2019 built
Location: edge of a small town Litija
Investor: a married couple in their 70s
- Position: former teacher and engineer
- Family status: they live alone
- Status: retired

After retirement, the married couple decided bravely to move from a too big three storey house into a small groundfloor house to be newly built. Thus they sold the old house and on the sunny southern part of the parcel of land they ordered the construction of a small groundfloor house without stairs.
The house consists of two volumes and of the third service building. All three volumes together with trees create a mini urbanism, a composition ensemble between built elements and nature. Concept priorities were the following: direct link between indoor living spaces and garden, construction without any architectonic barriers (adequate door widths, no doorsteps, non slippery surfaces, …), little time consuming construction, low cost building materials and performance which a retired couple as clients can afford.
We conceived their new home as closely linked with a large garden: the living room extends to the terrace on the same level, entry to the garden from the kitchen, splendid views from the house opened towards meadows in the south. Two old growth fruit trees which have grown on the location from old times and which matter a lot to the owners, were chosen for the framework of their new home. Wishing that the house were available to move into as soon as possible, we decided to use prefabricated wooden construction.
The view from outside shows that the house consists of two shifted volumes, each of them with a double pitched roof of its own, which indicates that indoor sleeping and living rooms are separated from one another. It was our wish to expose the simplicity of residence also in the image itself. We used accessible and »retained« materials, while keeping roof construction details deliberately visible, with a view of the roof frame to work lightweight and show a creative architectural approach. The house is situated in the line of gardens of surrounding houses, so we wished the house to give impression of a pavilion. One of the starting points for this concept was the existing wooddfired oven for baking bread, particularly dear to both clients, built in former times by the client himself. This fireplace was clad anew by a bandage of visible concrete which gives outstanding emphasis to the whole composition.
A light and spacious interior of the house is in favour of modern living of its residents. Indoor equipment is durable and does not require much maintenance.
All the rooms open to very different outdoor ambiences. Access to a small nearby vegetable garden and to the outdoor oven is made possible directly from the kitchen.
Notwithstanding its modest dimensions, the little house will some day offer a great comfortable home for a young family.

Illustration