Puli Mȁlina

2020
sculptural object in the landscape
dimmensions / variable

Location: Lovranska Draga
Designer: Iva Peručić
Contractor: Kapitel d.o.o.
The project was created as part of the program EPK2020

Water has always played an important role in the lives of the residents of Lovranska Draga, and has drawn a living network of roads, paths and bridges into its land. "Puli Mȁlina", an object inspired by traditional field shelters, is located on one such path - on the found remains of an old mill. The concept of a sculptural object in the landscape is based on the idea of ​​creating a space that would become a meeting place and a place to rest, as well as a place to learn about the specifics of this region.

The materialization of the idea occurs with the construction of a stone pavilion that serves as a place of shelter and a place for perceptive phenomena of the play of light and its reflection together with water. The base of the pavilion was built from the stone remains of the old mill. Materials used in construction are local maroon chestnut (seats), stone, corten, glass, stainless steel. The interior of the walls is plastered with lime plaster with the addition of natural pigment.

The particularity of the location gives an important role to the object's orientation towards sunlight. The view from the interior extends through the eastern window towards the mountain silhouette. This opening/window is conceived as an arc of the path of sunlight, which follows and marks the first sunrises of the sun at the time of the summer and winter solstice. In the center of the object there is a circular tempered glass. Spring water flows under that glass, only when there is water in the main stream. The bottom of the "flow well" is made of reflective metal in order to allow light rays to touch in its refractive games through the water. In the pavilion, around the glass well, there are three small seats, škanjići, made and processed from local maroon chestnut wood. Their positions provide space for lodging. There is a circular window on the south side. Its position is placed so that on the first day of spring and autumn (spring and autumn equinox) it allows the sun's rays to touch the bottom of the well (specifically at that location before the earth's rotation and the crowns of the surrounding trees block the light). Next to the pavilion, a forest garden has been planted, which contains almost all autochthonous plant species from the entire climate.

Documentary from HRT - Croatian National Television