Villa Dr. Juvan
The new owner has transformed the villa from 1902 into office spaces for an information technology company. The comprehensive renovation of the building includes seismic and energy improvements, while, in collaboration with the conservation service, the villa has retained its authentic exterior and internal staircase. Significant changes have occurred in the floor plan design. Light breakthroughs in partition walls have been replaced with full-height glass surfaces, creating an open and airy space for offices. The renovation is characterized by a strong contrast between the preserved historicist structure and the new technological content of the building. The new interventions are marked by consistent minimalism, with a predominant use of white furniture and a unified oak herringbone patterned floor. The technological approach is further emphasized by exposed concrete ceilings.
This renovation not only restores the villa but also adapts it to modern needs and technological requirements, while simultaneously preserving its historical character.
Maks Czeike, a builder and architect of Czech and German descent, designed the villa and played a significant role in shaping the interwar Maribor. Unfortunately, he disappeared during the post-war purges. He was supposed to have received education at the Vienna Academy under Otto Wagner, but his studies were not completed. In addition to an extensive portfolio of historicist and Secessionist buildings in Maribor and its surroundings, including the impressive elementary school building in Mežica, there are records of his collaboration with the more famous Wagner disciple, Plečnik. They worked together on the execution of Plečnik’s smaller projects in Maribor. Czeike’s contributions to the architectural landscape, especially during the interwar period, left a lasting imprint on the city and its surroundings.
Client Private
Location Maribor, Slovenia
Project Year 2022
Building type Office
Area 356 m2
Photographs Matej Lozar
Media attention
OUTSIDER 2022