At once translucent and tactile, the revitalised Boathouse Zaka turns its façade into a porous filter, not a wall. Shifted timber planks create a rhythmic skin that permits the passage of air, light, and glimpses of the surrounding lake. The building thus acts less as a boundary than a lens—framing fragments of sky, shore, and water. Like the filtration beds on its roof, the façade mediates perception, reminding us that architecture can simultaneously shelter and reveal.
Situated on the tranquil western edge of Lake Bled, the Boathouse Zaka is a modest yet layered intervention that addresses the intersection of architecture, landscape, ecology, and public knowledge. In a place globally recognised for its alpine beauty and environmental significance, the design approach prioritised restoration over replacement. Rather than build anew, the project engages in an act of respectful revitalisation.
The intervention centres on preservation and reuse. Retaining the entire original timber structure, the design honours the scale, proportion, and vernacular language of alpine lakeside buildings. Each component of the wooden frame was dismantled, inspected, and restored; the façade cladding was cleaned, repaired, and protected using traditional pine resin—a natural preservative rooted in local craft practices.
To connect the boathouse with its setting, the wooden façade was reinstalled not as a uniform surface, but as an articulated, semi-open plane. Planks were rotated and offset to create transparency, shadow play, and layered views. This adaptive envelope transforms the building into a living interface, engaging with its lakeside conditions through light, moisture, and airflow.
Behind its quiet appearance, the boathouse plays a key operational role. It houses research boats used by the Environmental Agency of the Republic of Slovenia to monitor water quality in Lake Bled—an effort made urgent by rising tourism and environmental vulnerability.
Interior improvements enhance both function and atmosphere. The original cement tiles were replaced with natural wooden flooring, offering a warmer, more breathable surface that aligns with the timber construction and enhances comfort and sustainability.
The rooftop becomes the site of the project’s most experimental feature: a didactic and functional system of alpine flower trays. Custom-designed wooden containers hold native species planted in layered filtering substrates—stone, gravel, sand, soil, and coir. Lake water is pumped through the system, naturally filtered, and recirculated, simulating ecological purification processes. This living green infrastructure supports biodiversity, offers measurable environmental benefits, and acts as an educational platform. By transforming the roof into a landscape and a laboratory, the project merges architectural presence with ecosystem function.
