Conceptual design for the revitalisation of the Solkan quarry

The Solkan quarry can become a key site for the Gorizia region, linking Colio, Soča Valley, Trnovo Plateau, Vipava Valley, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and Karst. It offers diverse landscapes and views of the Solkan stone arch bridge, Sabotin Hill (WWII battlefields) and mountains. Various post-use ideas emerged, including a University of Nova Gorica campus, but another site was chosen. A residential settlement was also proposed, yet densifying the urban core is wiser. Regardless, technical and biological revitalization of the quarry remains essential for its sustainable socio-economical future.

We are reshaping nature, transforming landscapes through resource exploitation. Solkan Quarry, a limestone source for construction, has altered its surroundings without a post-use plan, leaving a void and decaying technical heritage. Nova Gorica • Gorizia, hosting the European Capital of Culture 2025, lacks suitable infrastructure. This project proposes an adaptable solution integrating a nursery and depot, questioning whether interventions should disregard post-event sustainability. A structure is needed to ensure periodicity and flexible program shifts addressing environmental and economic needs. Initially, gallery spaces serve the event before transitioning into a nursery for native plants, preserving Nova Gorica’s urban biodiversity. The program includes exhibition spaces, studios, a nursery, and a depot with a carpentry products, which remain constant "for next generations". In phase two, gallery activities diminish, converting the main hall into a nursery. In phase three, excavation areas accommodate nursery with operational extensions, and mountain biking trails, separated from the nursery, completing the phalanstery (“mundi parallel”). The exhibition gallery aligns with event timelines, requiring post-event transformation. The nursery expands over gallery spaces, integrating lighting that reshapes visitor experiences. Main existing structures (technical heritage) are preserved for depot and operation laboratories. Spatial units, a mix of new and adapted elements, enable fragmentation or expansion, ensuring long-term program flexibility. By fostering a gradual transition from cultural to ecological regeneration, the project promotes sustainable spatial evolution and redefines the role of architecture in post-industrial landscapes.