A former theatre in Moste (a district in Ljubljana) was transformed into a centre of culture “Španski borci”. The building was designed in late 70’s by a Slovenian modernist Oton Jugovec. The new programmatic change includes a library, a mediatheque, a new dance hall, a new small performance hall, new offices for the staff and performers, new wardrobe, toilets and a new cocktail bar. The whole building will undergo a renovation, but in phases. First the vital interior parts such as the new dance hall and performance hall, later the exterior and other spaces. All the interventions are in close relation to the author’s architectural language, and are as minimal and subtle as possible.

The existing theatre was not attracting enough visitors, so the municipality of Ljubljana decided to revitalize it. The public tender for new programme has been won by a Slovenian contemporary dance collective “En knap” group. The new interventions enable dance performances, as well as classic theatre, so the flexibility of the building has been improved. The additional dance hall and small performance hall enable a broader range of users, thus revitalizing the theatre.

location: Ljubljana, Slovenia

project date: 2009

completion date: 2010

area: 1400 m2

type: renovation (interior design)

source: commission

client: Municipality of Ljubljana

project team: doc. Anja Planišček M.Arch., Primož Boršič M.Arch., Matej Delak M.Arch.

photo: Primož Boršič