From Graz, Austria to Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Two cities influenced by their geographic position at the crossroads of Germanic, Latin and Slavic culture.
Photo: arcspace
View from the Aiola restaurant on top of the Schlossberg
Went to Graz for the inauguration of UNStudio’s Mumuth Music Theater and, realizing how close I was to Slovenia, to Ljubljana too see some of Sadar Vuga's buildings.
After checking in at the Augarten Hotel I went straight to the Mumuth Music Theater (arcspace feature) to catch it at twilight. It is an amazing building, its appearance impacted by changes in light during night and day.
Photo: arcspace
A spiraling constructive element connects the entrance to the auditorium and to the music rooms above, welding together “with a twist” the three levels.
Photo: arcspace
In Graz I concentrated on the Historic Center, nominated a World Cultural Heritage City in 1999, where several new buildings were added when Graz was Cultural Capital of Europe in 2003.
“The Historic Center reflects artistic and architectural movements originating from the Germanic region, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean, for which it served as a crossroads for centuries. The greatest architects and artists of these different regions expressed themselves forcefully here and thus created brilliant syntheses.”
World Cultural Heritage
Photo: arcspace
Located on the banks of the river Mur, between the red brick roofs of neighboring historic buildings, is the Kunsthaus (arcspace feature) by architects Peter Cook & Colin Fournier. The building, locally referred to as the "friendly alien,” functions as a bridgehead at a point where the past and the future meet.
Photo: arcspace
The top floor Needle, a glass enclosed structure, links the Kunsthaus with its neighbor the “Eisernes Haus”, a listed building which, due to its cast-iron construction, drew as much attention in 1847 as the Kunsthaus does today.
Photo: Niki Lackner
Crossed to the other side of the river via “Island in the Mur” which is anchored to both river banks by massive footbridges. Constructed in 2003 it was designed by New York artist Vito Acconci.
Photo: arcspace
Photo: arcspace
One part of this shell-shaped artificial island’s complex steel grid construction is a glass dome covering a futuristic café, the other a concave receptacle holding an amphitheater and event venue.
Photo: arcspace
Photo: arcspace
Across from the Kunsthaus you have the extension to the department store Kastner&Öhler. Designed by architects Michael Szyskowitz and Carla Kowalski the light glass roofs, glass and steel bridges, and glass covered courtyards, blend harmoniously with the existing buildings.
Photo: arcspace
Photo: arcspace
Photo: arcspace
Just behind is the Schlossbergplatz and the entrance to the comprehensive tunnel system, formerly used as air raid shelters. At the end of the tunnel a speedy glass elevator, designed by Reiner Schmid, takes you up to the top of the summit and the Aiola restaurant with a magnificent view over Graz.
Photo: arcspace
Photo: arcspace
Designed by Siegfried Frank and Michael Rieper the Café, surrounded by a sun terrace, has glass walls and a flat roof supported by slim steel columns.
Photo: arcspace
Photo: arcspace
Photo: arcspace
Leaving the Schlossbergplatz I happened upon the Stadtmuseum and the exhibition “fast modern” (translated to “stopped short of Modernism”), about architecture in Graz 1918 - 1938, between the two World Wars.
Photo: arcspace
The center of the exhibition was the Grazer Werkbundhaus, designed by Hans Hönel in 1928. The exterior volumes and proportions were pure and elegant, the interior furnishings, placed on the original floor plan for the exhibition, were traditional. Thus the name “stopped short of Modernism.”
Photo: arcspace
Photo: arcspace
Had a super dinner at the Augartenhotel’s Magnolia restaurant, recently named the best restaurant in Graz.
Photo: arcspace
Got up at five the next day to catch the train for Ljubljana at the Main Station....a 3 1/2 hour train ride. The Main Station was redesigned by Zechner & Zechner, the ceiling by artist Peter Kogler.
Photo: arcspace
Like Graz, Ljubljana's Historic Center remains intact with a Baroque and Art Nouveau styles mix. After the 1511 earthquake, Ljubljana was rebuilt in a Baroque style following the model of a Renaissance town; after the 1895 quake, which severely damaged the city, it was once again rebuilt, this time in an Art Nouveau style. The city's architecture is thus a mix of styles.
Photo: arcspace
Went straight to the office of Sadar Vuga architects from the Ljubljana Station. Jurij Sadar and Bostjan Vuga started Sadar Vuga Arhitekti (SVA) in 1996 after winning the competition for the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia. Their growing portfolio of built work ranges from innovative town planning to public space sculpture, from interactive new public buildings to interventions within older existing structures.
Photo: arcspace
Bostjan Vuga took me to see the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Central part of the National Gallery (arcspace feature) as well as two apartment buildings at the edge of Ljubljana City Center.
Photo: arcspace
Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Photo: arcspace
Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Photo: arcspace
The National Gallery
Pristan Condominium (2004) is a two story apartment building with fifteen individual apartments, common entrance lobby, interior winter garden and exterior summer atrium.
The facade was developed through a technique of pixelization that shifts the perception of the size of the building and its relationship to its immediate surroundings.
Photo: arcspace
Photo: arcspace
The Gradaska Apartment Building (2007) contains 12 individual apartments. Each covers several stories, forming a unity which resembles a three dimensional tetris.
A combination of reflexive and transparent glass panels either reflect the surrounding area into the apartments or reveal the interior of the apartments to the surrounding.
Photo: Peter Koraca
Photo: arcspace
Ended the day eating blood sausage at their favorite neighborhood restaurant, Gostilna Figovec.
Photo: arcspace
Photo: arcspace
It surprised me how centrally located Ljubljana is. Imagine driving for 45 minutes and having lunch in Trieste, or two hours to Venice.....
Stayed at Augartenhotel in Graz
May 4, 2009