Open House Slovenia 2023 Festival – Commitments of Architecture

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Open House Slovenia festival will take place between April 14 and 16. The festival opens the door of good architecture for the fourteenth time and offers a varied selection of new, renovated and other interesting and important buildings, which visitors will be able to see for free under the expert guidance of architects, owners and users.

Building site of Galery Cukrarna, Scapelab, photo: Miran Kambič

This year’s festival takes place under the title “Commitments of architecture“. The theme aims to highlight the power and responsibility of architecture in the creation of new spatial, social and economic models. The festival thus encourages a more inclusive discussion about architecture and strengthens the role of architecture as a carrier of positive change in solving important social and environmental challenges.

Promotional pavilion Stora Enso in Planica, studio abiro, photo: Miran Kambič

The program of the three-day architectural festival was selected from among the submitted projects by jury consisting of experts in the field of architecture and space: doc. Vlatka Ljubanović, Gašper Skalar, Meta Kutin, assistant. Aleksander Vujovič, Ph.D. Martina Malešič and Andrej Strehovec. This year, more than 80 architectural projects will be included in the festival – such as private apartments and family houses, renovated monuments of architectural cultural heritage, offices and educational buildings, tourist and catering facilities. The organizers also included the most visited and awarded projects of last year’s OHS festival in the program.

Vlatka Ljubanović on the importance of OHS:

OHS is a festival of creativity. Rational thinking has been responsible for the transmission of knowledge throughout human history, while creativity and imagination are the driving forces behind the new inventions. The environmental and social crisis we find ourselves in will be solved by reason, while the creative impulse will care for the humanity and a socially inclusive society. I believe in the mission of architecture and its contribution to disaster relief, and this is why it will survive. In its own, architectural way it will ensure preservation and protection of nature and reduce disparities in a stratified society. It is important that the public feels the power of the creative in architecture, and this is what OHS is working hard to achieve.

Neighbourhood Pod Pekrsko gorco, jereb in Budja arhitekti, Arhitektura Dobrin, Kostak GIP, photo: Miran Kambič

This year the focus on sustainability will emphasize building with wood and quality renovations. Visitors will be able to see more than 15 wooden buildings. The increasing use of wood is an indicator of a growing awareness of the importance of sustainable, well designed buildings. With the right choice of wood, construction type and method, wooden constructions can fulfil the standards of modern sustainable buildings, decreasing environmental impact. Wooden buildings also have a positive influence on our well-being and offer a high degree of living comfort. Visitos will be able to see the new Kindergarden Kočevje, Kindergarden Pedenjped, Interpretation Centre Ig, Stora Enso promotional pavilion in Planica and many more.

Quality renovations and new programs in existing building stock are also an important aspect of sustainability and revitalization. In Koper, the renovated historical Sabini-Grisoni Palace will open its door. Visitors can also visit Techology park Ptuj. For the new needs, the architects renovated the building of the former officers’ pavilion of the abandoned barracks and also added a modern extension volume. In Ljubljana, historical icon Kazina Palace, which now hosts Academy of music will be open to public.

Kindergarten Kočevje, Svet vmes, photo: Matevž Paternoster, Žiga Lovšin

The year 2023 is dedicated to the architectural heritage of Edvard Ravnikar, who is considered the most important Slovenian modernist architect. Thematic guided tours and urban walks will be organised to show and explain his most important projects in Ljubljana, Nova Gorica and Kranj. They will remind us how architecture builds a country and a city. Understanding of architectural achievements of modernism, which in Slovenia is still not (adequately) understood by the general public, will be broadened with thematic tours. In Ljubljana, visitors of the festival will be able to see the modernist designs of the Republic Square (Trg republike) with the TR3 high-rise building, Cankarjev dom and the Modern Gallery.

Municipality palace Kranj, Edvard Ravnikar, photo: Miran Kambič

This year we also prepared some English tours in Ljubljana for international guests of the festival. English tours will be held at:

Renovation of apartment Meksika – Saturday, 15th April at 10.00.

Meksika 2.0 – new chapter / new era – Saturday, 15th April at 11.00.

PRISTOP Offices for a creative agency – Saturday, 15th April at 15.00.

NEU Residences – Saturday, 15th April at 17.00.

Rog Centre Creative Hub – Sunday, 16th April at 11.00.

Whole festival program and more information on: https://www.openhouseslovenia.org/festival/ or info@odprtehiseslovenije.org

OPEN HOUSE EUROPE

Since March 2023, Open House Slovenia has been a partner of the Open House Europe project, which connects 11 European cities and the country of Slovenia in a network of partners with common goals. They will advocate for the introduction of collaborative methods of knowledge exchange, the strengthening of the position of architectural and cultural organizations, the promotion of education about exceptional examples of architecture and urban environments, the involvement of the audience and better accessibility of culture. The program will introduce a range of new activities and events that will be organized across the continent. The project will include annual conferences in various European cities, a volunteer exchange program, a digital platform and many innovations at Open House festivals. The opening event took place on March 3 in Vilnius. This year’s common theme is Building Futures together.

The project is coordinated by Architektūros fondas and co-funded by the European Union.

OEN HOUSE SLOVENIA 2023 PARTNERS

Open House Europe

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The beginning of March will mark the launch of Open House Europe, a new international collaboration project. The project will embrace a more inclusive debate about architecture and strengthen the role of architecture as a positive change-maker addressing relevant social and environmental challenges. The launch event will be hosted by the project coordinator Architektūros fondas at the National Gallery of Art in Vilnius, Lithuania, on March 3.

The concept of Open House originated in 1992 in London to promote a better understanding of architecture for the public. At the heart of this idea is accessible learning through direct experience of the buildings themselves and interactions between professionals and citizens. Since 1992, almost 50 cities worldwide have adopted this unique format.

Open House Milano 2018. Photo by Luca Rotondo © Courtesy of Open House Milano

To improve and expand this format, a new collaborative project was initiated by 11 European cultural organisations that annually organise 12 Open House events in Athens, Bilbao, Brno, Dublin, Essen, Lisbon, Milan, multiple cities in Slovenia, Stockholm, Tallinn, Thessaloniki, and Vilnius. The project will seek to include Open House festivals in other European cities and further knowledge exchange by collaborating with the extended Open House Worldwide network.

The three-year project will focus each year on a new direction: sustainability, accessibility and inclusion, and future heritage. These thematic axes will allow Open House Europe to shape the agenda for a debate about contemporary and heritage architecture, its values and quality. The objectives of the project are aimed at introducing collaborative modes of knowledge sharing, strengthening the position of architecture culture organisations in the sector, promoting education about exceptional examples of architecture and urban environments, engaging audiences, and increasing cultural accessibility.

Open House Stockholm 2022. Photo by Ina Andreolli © Courtesy of Open House Stockholm

The programme of Open House Europe will introduce a range of new activities and events that will be organised across the continent. The project will include Annual Summits in different European cities, a Volunteer Exchange Programme, a digital platform, and a range of innovations in the Open House festivals. The visitors will be able to take part in open calls for visual stories that will encourage them to explore and interpret the annual Open House Europe themes through their own experiences and knowledge gained during the Open House weekends.

The launch event of Open House Europe promises to be an informative and inspiring experience for architects, cultural specialists, and the general public. It will provide insights into the aims and objectives of the project and further explain its programme. The launch event will be available online via the Open House Europe Youtube channel on March 3 at 18:00 (GMT +2).

Project partners: Open House Athens, Open House Bilbao, Open House Brno, Open House Dublin, Open House Essen, Open House Lisboa, Open House Milano, Open House Slovenia, Open House Stockholm, Open House Tallinn, Open House Thessaloniki, Open House Vilnius.

Coordinator: Architektūros fondas

The project is co-funded by the European Union.

13th OHS Festival: ARCHITECTURE IN A NEW REALITY

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The largest festival of architecture, real estate and quality design, the Open House Slovenia (OHS), took place this year between 27 and 29 May. For the thirteenth time in a row, the festival opened the doors of good architecture and offered a diverse selection of new, renovated and other interesting buildings, which visitors could see for free under the expert guidance of architects, owners and users.

The theme of this year’s event was “ARCHITECTURE IN A NEW REALITY”. We wanted to encourage dialogue on the role and importance of architecture in times of great social and environmental change.

Guided tour of Hotel Maestoso in Lipica, foto: Enota

The times we live in are testing our civilization on very different levels. Our planet, society, economy, environment, culture and values ​​are changing faster than people can get used to and respond to. Architecture has a significant impact on the quality of life of the individual and society as a whole. With the OHS festival, we want to emphasize its important role, which can only be realized in society with a deep understanding of its mission.

Architecture and people are connected in a common, limited space. In the light of our experience of the last few years, when we have felt an even greater lack of connection and cooperation, the idea of ​​returning to the world before the pandemic is also being questioned. It seems that in the future we will have to plan and shape our world in a new, perhaps different way and in a broader context.

Architecture enables the solution of spatial problems and the design of spaces in new contexts. In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic a new opportunity has arisen: to create an architectural and social vision of space based on inclusion, quality and sustainability. New ways of living, working and teaching, new infrastructures, new technologies, meeting energy needs, CO2 emissions and sustainability, new partnerships… All this requires reflection and the creation of new responses.

Architectural visit of Partial interior renovation of the administrative building of the Triglav insurance company, foto: Zala Koščak

As we await recovery, it would make sense to consider whether, instead of returning to life before the pandemic, we can discuss new solutions for a better and more sustainable living in the context of the new reality. Architecture and architects can help a lot. This is also pointed out by the European Commission’s “New European Bauhaus” initiative, aimed at accelerating the green transformation, which puts architecture at the forefront of the transition to a more sustainable economy and society.

Visiting offices Modra jagoda, foto: OHS

The programme of the three-day architectural festival this year opened the doors of selected apartments and family houses, educational institutions, kindergartens and schools, business buildings and modern work spaces, cultural institutions, libraries and creative spaces for artists, as well as several tourist facilities and sports buildings.

Architectural tour of Hotel Bohinj, foto: OHS

Guided tours of the buildings offer visitors a personal experience in architecture and reveal the process of planning, constructing and using buildings. They also present possible answers and principles that make buildings more environmentally and user-friendly, reveal the important connection between man and the planet, and highlight the impact of technology and responsibility for the future.