MAXIMIZING SPACE

In today’s world, where space is becoming a premium commodity, small-scale projects require innovative solutions to make the most of limited square footage. Whether you’re working with a tiny apartment, a compact office, or a snug retail space, maximizing the available area can enhance functionality, improve aesthetics, and create a more comfortable environment. We will explore creative strategies and design concepts that can help you unlock the full potential of small spaces.

1. Embrace Minimalism

Prefab steel construction is already known and tested around the world, but it is still quite unknown in Slovenia, so one of the goals was to present the system to the potential client in the clearest way possible. For this purpose, a website will be set up, where all information about the construction and contacts of the contractor can be found.

A large part of our assignment was consequently based on the preparation of material for the website. Together with the client, we first set clear guidelines for how he wants to present the material. To start the project, we always define all wishes and conversations at meetings with the help of project tasks, which facilitates easier communication and project planning.

The first step for our familiarization with the system, as well as for the actual presentation on the website, was to use realistic materials to show the basic composition of construction assemblies, typical of the construction method. The compositions ensure high-quality thermal and sound insulation, and the skeleton construction enables thinner walls compared to classic masonry or reinforced concrete walls and slabs, as part of the insulation is already in the same layer as the main supporting structure.

MIES MA — Structural compositions Source: AAB Arhitektura archive

2. Multifunctional Furniture

One of the main questions when learning about new and alternative construction techniques is what is its basic structural system. For the clearest possible answer, we have presented a single-family house, which from the same view first shows only its skeletal steel structure and the finished house with all the layers and facade. We can see that the steel structure does not affect the appearance of the house itself, but allows for larger spans and faster construction.

3. Light and Bright Colour Schemes

For the purpose of as clear a presentation as possible, we also prepare animated videos of the exterior and interior of buildings, where by assembling layers, loading elements, or flying through the objects, the project is presented vividly and the system is quickly introduced. We also produced an introductory video for the presented project, where the construction process with a steel skeleton structure from the foundation slab to the final layer is shown on the example of a house. In half a minute, the viewer is quickly and efficiently introduced to the system without any necessary reading or research.