A competition was launched in January 2012 for the design of a National and University Library in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Located south of the city centre, the ambition was to create a contemporary urban space which reflected recognisable local and historical characteristics, and embraced the rapidly changing world of information post millennia.
A competition was launched in January 2012 for the design of a National and University Library in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Located south of the city centre, the ambition was to create a contemporary urban space which reflected recognisable local and historical characteristics, and embraced the rapidly changing world of information post millennia.
The design sought to accommodate spaces for learning, promote the exchange of ideas, house an established library collection and promote the use of computer technology, whilst creating a internal and external spaces for the general public to meet and socialise.
A seemingly monolithic block is broken down into four main elements, which are then further fragmented by the application of additional grids defining extruded or extracted elements, subduing the building mass to a scale which integrates with the existing city fabric. Internally, polished black marble reflects the ‘lost grid’ of the Roman city of Emona, the historic site of Ljubljana.
Client Ministry of Education, Ljubljana
