TRADITION AND INNOVATION IN SPACE PLANNING

The carefully planned construction of the Slovene hayrack with its well chosen and designed details, is a good example of aesthetics in design. The Slovene hayrack is one of the typical elements of the Slovene landscape, and may be regarded as one of the pillars of the Slovene tradition. Anonymous carpenters, with their innate sense of proportion and relying on their previous generations' experience, have found the perfect balance between the practical and aesthetic values of the Slovene hayrack.
Family houses, at least in certain parts of the country, all boast of hayracks, either made of wood or metal. What has changed is technology, materials and facade fillings.
The division between sculpture and architecture is not clear-cut. Sculptural elements, usually added at a later stage, thus representing additional expenses, are already incorporated in good architecture, of which anonymous architecture is an inspiring example.
When applying new materials and technology, the fact that autochthonous architecture aims at incorporation into environment and practical usage should be considered. The six-pillar hayrack construction should be regarded as a frame that sets the boundaries of space, yet leaves enough room for the architect's creativity. This, however, should be combined with the good elements that have characterised vernacular architecture.