Liste des projets

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.

Skypscraper studio apartment

Author, architect: Meta Kutin
Year: 2021
Building: interior design
Size: 26m2
Location: the very centre of Ljubljana, in Nebotičnik building, a monument of national importance
Investor: Dr Dušana Findeisen, 72– year–old
- Position: Head of a research institute
- Family status: lives alone
- Status: active


The investor concerned with old age and education of older people has professional knowledge and personal experience of older people's needs. She knows that older people, their cognitive and physical abilities result from their whole life and therefore the life style of each of them is different. As a result of it, designing for older people does not depend on their age but on a number of other determinants.
Taking a decision to have her flat redesigned accordingly to her present and future emotional, cognitive, social and working needs, the older investor knew that old age has to be prepared. Though very small (26m2) for local conditions her flat has to be aesthetic, functional, simple and open to outdoor life at the same time. She is planning to remain professionally fully active till the age of 80 and possibly beyond that age.
Her flat had to be redesigned taking in account a number of limitations: the existing dominating library shelves, which matter a lot and are dear to her; some design pieces of furniture, awkwardly placed bathroom volume. The rest was up to the architect to decide. The floor plan was bad and had to be corrected, the functions of individual zones had to become clearer. The small size of the apartment was a major difficulty. The investor is not favourable to minimalism but to minimum in all respects.
The architect interrogated the investor about her life daily routine, if any. Her apartment should not be made for the "3x8 schedule”. On the contrary. The investor spends up to 12 hours daily facing the computer screen working professionally, communicating with colleagues from all over Europe. Her social life goes on digitally, on the phone and in many nearby coffee shops and restaurants. She cooks very little, but she needs a lot of invisible storage, given the size of the apartment. Technologically, the apartment needs to be well connected with good audio devices and internet connection. Having long lived and studied in Paris, the investor treasures spending her leisure time in bed, sometimes even eating in bed. She needs a small dining folding table inserted in the wall only occasionally, when receiving guests. She opted for folding transparent chairs that can be put away.
The new line of long shelves, an aesthetic furniture element under the windows, have proven quite useful as an additional library, a storage of paper, occasional ironing desk, a table for eating snacks while looking through the windows and observing the life outdoors. Opening views are as important for older people as moving around the predictable well maintained apartment and neighbourhood. Fortunately the investor’s urbanity is supported by many quality services in the neighbourhood, cultural institutions, nature, etc.
The architect designed a walk-in wardrobe thus gaining a lot of storage, through which one can penetrate the bathroom. The investor wanted to have the shower cabinet taken away and replaced by a linen curtain “for future times” when an open access to the shower will be needed. Suffering from heart insufficiency the investor believes a reclining armchair would assist her breathing in the future.
The architect has taken into account the investor’s style of living, her potentials and only partly her physical deficiencies.

Kitchen storage is ample, all needed functions are there, though the dish washer has proven to be the most useful appliance so far. Lightening is general without shadows and the working desk is well lightened. New heaters had been installed and for mostly aesthetic reason, a long line under the two symmetric windows with open view onto the parc across the street as well as the mountains in the distance, have been entirely preserved. Under the window a long construction of shelves is a kind of repetition of the long line of existing book shelves that from the living area lead to the entrance zone, forming a corridor (unfortunately the corridor could not be wide enough for two people moving side by side). But the investor says that in case of disbalance such narrow corridor helps her maintain her balance. There are not many possibilities to fall down in this apartment.

Illustration