A mountain holiday house: what Jahorina demands of the design

A mountain house is the same house as in the city, except that everything that can go wrong on a mountain goes wrong sooner. The Jahorina Mountain Dream project taught us a few things we now apply to every house above 1,000 metres.

The roof carries snow, not just rain

On Jahorina we count a snow load three to four times that of Sarajevo. That means a stronger roof structure, but also a decision about where the snow goes when it slides: not onto the entrance, not onto the terrace, not onto the neighbour. Snow guards and heated gutters are part of the design, not an afterthought.

An entrance that works in January

A covered entrance, a draught lobby, space for skis and wet boots right at the door, and a floor that tolerates water and salt. A garage or a carport is worth more than an extra bedroom.

Large glass, placed wisely

The view is the reason to build there. But large glass facing the wind and the north is cold. We put the glass to the south and the view, triple glazed, with deep eaves that shade in summer and let the low winter sun in.

Materials that age well

Timber, stone and dark metal look better every year on a mountain. White render and thin sheet metal look worse every year. We choose materials that tolerate ice and UV and that can be repaired locally.

Heating when you are not there

A holiday house is empty most of the year. A heat pump with remote control, underfloor heating that keeps a minimum, and installations that can be drained without a tradesman. The wood stove stays, for the atmosphere and for the power cuts that mountains are known for.

Building in six months

The working season on Jahorina runs from May to October. The design must be finished the winter before, permit in hand, so the foundations are poured in May and the house is closed before the first snow. Timber or prefabricated systems have an advantage here, because the shell is finished in a few weeks.

Permits on the mountain

Jahorina and Bjelašnica have their own regulation plans and strict conditions on volume, roof pitch and materials. We check them before the plot is bought, because they decide what can be designed at all.

Planning a house in the mountains? Send us the plot and your wishes, and we will tell you what really passes up there.