Brave New World

The project represents a multifaceted reflection on the borders in urban space. It recognizes their power of persistence and the possibility of transformation over time. Here, architecture represents a medium that does not erase borders but builds on them in the axis of development, adding a new dimension to Ljubljana's urban development.

BORDER. The central concept of the project is the border as something that separates and connects at the same time. Since the railway represents the most obvious physical border of Ljubljana, it is a fact that we need a new railway infrastructure in a new relationship to the city. In this case, erasure of the border can only be achieved by moving the railway below ground. That's how Ljubljana gets a sustainable railway infrastructure and a new urban space. The street network of the city can finally connect and acquire a space that represents an opportunity for the development of the urban connector, while at the same time creating a memory of the border. URBAN SYSTEMS. The new urban system is designed according to the principles of sustainable development and infrastructural urbanism. The underground subway stations that appear represent new social and infrastructural hubs. The establishment of linear centers in the city, which form a connector of space, begins. The hubs are connected by an architectural-urban structure built according to the principles of megastructures. It consists of structural columns with communal connections and a roof harrow, which establishes a new street level of the city - a linear park. Program units inserted below respond to the needs of the microlocation and thereby establish a holding space along the entire line. In the area of detailed consideration, I designed three buildings that appear under a linear roof: a railway station with a market, commercial and sports facilities, swimming pool and a hybrid with a social and sports program. PERMANENCE AND TEMPORARYNESS. The key elements of the new structure are phased development and flexibility, as they allow for adaptation to changes in the surroundings. Some areas remain as "reserves for the future" filled with greenery, open to future interventions. The entire move represents a sustainable regional urban system, as it complements the existing urban fabric and establishes the "green" identity of the city.