Guard houses Slovenia

ERKA / Studio Kristof
/
City Planning
/
Slovena
Company Name
ERKA / Studio Kristof
ARCHITECTURAL CREDITS
Project Team
Tomaž Krištof, Andraž Hrovat, Špela Zore, Gregor Reichenberg
CLIENT/OWNER NAME:
Project Name:
Guard houses Slovenia
Company Country:
Slovena
Project Country:
Slovenia
Project City:
Project Category:
City Planning
Project Area:
1 sqm (really!)
Completion Date:
20231129
Project overview
The guard houses are minimalist, small cuboids with a unique feature: an ellipsoid window adorning each of the four sides. These structures are strategically positioned in front of key Slovenian institutions, including the parliament, government, presidential palace, ministry of internal affairs, and the American embassy.
Project history
The ellipsoid window serves as a symbol, evoking the concept of ‘big brother is watching you.’ while also resembling a baroque mirror. The glass of these windows is fully reflective from the outside, effectively turning the guard houses into practical street furniture. Passersby can utilize them as mirrors to check their appearance before going to a meeting or elsewhere.This reflective glass serves a dual purpose: it conceals the interior from view, creating an aura of mystery. Those outside won’t be aware if they are under observation, thus the physical presence of the police guard becomes unnecessary as people start to behave as if they are always under surveilance.