POTencial vrtičenja

Project idea

The project name in Slovene is POTencial vrtičenja, which is a wordplay of words: path, potencial, gardening and learning. These are also the keywords that describe the project.
The urban design is based on the establishment of a new traffic connection and pedestrian paths that delimit the built-up area from the cultivated area, where the fields and gardens are located. New volumes are placed in the built-up area: an agricultural institute, a market, a teaching pavilion, and service programs such as greenhouses, seed storage and cold storage, and a canopy for agricultural machinery.

Project description

The architectural concept represents a public path that connects the main volumes into a whole and opens the private program of the agricultural institute to the public and residents of the Ljubljana Polje neighbourhood community. In the teaching pavilion, experts impart knowledge about advanced agricultural plant growing techniques to residents, and in the market, local vendors can sell their produce. The path also symbolizes the process of producing local products, from researching and crossing new seed varieties to selling them and passing on the knowledge to residents.

Technical information

The structure divides the building into a service, communication, and program zone, which allows for passage through the building and a clear organization of the program. The structural system is based on the rhythm of double wooden columns and primary and secondary beams that meet in passing. This contact of structural elements creates a recognizable spatial identity of the building and emphasizes the modularity and repetition of the load-bearing system. A large proportion of glass surfaces allows for the introduction of natural light and a visual connection of the interior spaces with the surrounding landscape.
The project design is also sustainable. Both the construction material and the facade elements use structural wood that is brought from and processed in the local environment.
Rainwater pools are located between the foundations of the volumes, which collect on the roof and flow into underground basins between the double column. This water is then used as sanitary water in the building or for watering the gardens and crops in nearby greenhouses.
The greenhouses are not covered with PVC materials, but recycled glass is used for this.

Documentation

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