Art and Architecture

With architectural designs going up both nationally and internationally, Perisic Design Studio is very busy. In addition Petar, the head of Perisic Design, collaborates with artists and designers on ideas not limited to architecture. Past projects have included the Bay to Park Link trolley stations in downtown San Diego with artist Ante Marinovich and numerous art exhibits with his building partner Ken Miracle of Miraclebrand Design. Their last space included a gallery that showcased fine artists, architects and graphic designers and was a very popular draw with the downtown East Village crowd.

When visiting Petar one can sense the artistic quality of his studio space. Narrow planked wood floors, industrial and lit with skylights; their loft overlooks a computer design firm below. They plan to continue having special event art showings in the rectangular foyer space.


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At the moment, one of the large project in the works includes the '5x5 lofts' going up in Hillcrest, a diverse and colorful neighborhood located just up from the downtown area of San Diego.

Located in the heart of Hillcrest, this 5-unit building will provide a variety of elegant modern spaces, each unique. The design expresses the individuality of each unit within the composition of the whole. The exterior reveals the variety of spaces within, including 2-story volumes, so that each unit is perceived as a distinct entity from the street, stripping away the anonymity of typical monolithic block buildings. Each unit meshes with the others like vines growing intertwined searching for light. An exterior light well grows out of the common entry through the building branching out like a tree, thus creating outdoor rooms between the units.

5x5 presents an innovative housing prototype in which each unit has street presence and exposure on all five sides. It is a hybrid of a loft and a townhouse but breaks away from the traditional norms of both. The units share a common underground parking garage, a common outdoor entrance, and each has ground-level access. As they move upward the units interlock and intertwine. Structurally, each unit will be a separate house interacting with and codependent on the others like individual fingers are to a hand. The design of 5x5 explored relationships in architecture as a form of modern dance.

The loft interiors are open plans with increasingly private spaces on the upper floors allowing flexibility for changing lifestyles. Each unit has its own unique plan which flows out into a different combination of outdoor gardens, outdoor rooms, balconies, and roof-top decks. The design is intended to encourage mingling amongst the residents and to foster a sense of community based on diversity and individuality. Its creative atmosphere will stimulate a creative synergy. - www.5x5lofts.com