Connecting, supporting and activating regions.

Because Slovenia lies at the crossroads of the Alps, the Mediterranean, the Pannonian Plain and the Dinaric Mountain Range, through the centuries, the individual Slovenian regions have developed various forms of economic activity, ways of living and cultural creativity. Among the greatest treasures of these regions are the diversity of Slovenian dialects, different lifestyles, gastronomic traditions, popular entertainment and other everyday-life aspects of the local people. This diversity is best presented through the traditional regions of the country: Gorenjska (Upper Carniola), Dolenjska (Lower Carniola), Notranjska (Inner Carniola), Primorska (Littoral Region), Štajerska (Styria), Koroška (Carinthia) and the Prekmurje region.

LJUBLJANA URBAN REGION

The Ljubljana urban region (LUR) encompasses 26 municipalities and has a total population of 542,447. The region covers an area of 2,555 km2, which equals 12.6 % of the Slovenian territory.

The Ljubljana urban region is the Slovenian region with the biggest concentration of knowledge and creative potential, as this is where the key state, scientific, research, educational and cultural institutions are based. Owing to the large number of companies and jobs, the region generates more than a third of Slovenia's GDP, meaning that it is also the most economically developed region in the country. Based on realising its development potentials, the Ljubljana urban region will maintain and strengthen its role as the principal carrier of economic development at the national level. It will develop human potentials as well as promote interdisciplinary cooperation and knowledge transfer. It will furthermore create conditions conducive to economic development and promote entrepreneurship, thus retaining and attracting both highly qualified labour force and investors. By establishing international ties and strengthening its role as a European metropolis, the region will also enhance its competitiveness in the international arena. 

The Ljubljana urban region is distinguished by its well preserved and easily accessible natural environment, high level of biotic diversity and variegated natural landscape. Its vicinity to quality nature areas and the intertwinement of built and natural environments make it unique among European metropolitan regions. The region's activities will thus aim to build a positive, sustainable relationship with the environment that will position it as a bioregion both in Slovenia and internationally. Acting in harmony with the natural environment, the LUR will manage its natural resources prudently and strengthen the development of green economy and green jobs - also through the use of green technologies. Sustainable and inclusive development will allow the region to provide its inhabitants with a high standard of living.

The development objectives of the region are:

• An efficiently internally connected region.
• A region that uses space, natural resources and energy prudently.
• A region that promotes the development of knowledge, creativity and innovation.
• A recognisable and competitive metropolitan region.
• A region that provides high-quality jobs.
• A region that provides high-quality living.

CENTRAL SLOVENIAN REGION

The Central Slovenian region had the highest share of Slovenia's population (26 %) in 2015, and on average they were the youngest (41.3 years). The mean age of first-time mothers was the highest (30.1 years). A third of people aged 25-64 had tertiary education, which was the highest share in the country. The share of people living below the at-risk-of-poverty threshold was the second lowest in the country (11.8 %).

People living in the Central Slovenian statistical region were most satisfied with their lives (7.3 out of 10). The unemployment rate (7.3 %) was lower than the national average. A large majority of persons in employment in the region also worked within the region (91 %). The average monthly net earnings of persons employed in the region were the highest in the country (EUR 1,099). 

This region contributed the highest share to the Slovenian GDP. 37 % of the national GDP was generated in the region, which was more than EUR 26,000 per capita. The region has one third of all enterprises in the country; of all high-growth enterprises in the country in 2015, 32 % were registered here. High-growth enterprises in the region employed nearly 21,000 persons. The share of dwellings built after 2005 was the highest in the region (8.8 %), and the region stood out with the highest share of foreign tourist overnight stays (93 %). In the region, the highest share of separately collected municipal waste was perceived (73 %).

Development projects of regional importance in 2022 include The Brdo complex, The Exhibition and Convention Centre Ljubljana complex and the Logistics Centre Ljubljana complex.

Brdo complex

PROJECT NAME: Residential district Brdo II
LOCATION: Pot Rdečega križa, Ljubljana, Slovenia
GROSS PLOT AREA: 47.629 m2
GROSS FLOOR AREA: 42.819 m2
PROGRAMME: Housing
PROMOTOR: SSRS - National Housing Trust, public fund
ARCHITECTURE: Dekleva-Gregorič architects
Aljoša Dekleva u.d.i.a., M.Arch. (AA Dist); Tina Gregorič u.d.i.a., M.Arch. (AA Dist); Lea Kovič, u.d.i.a.; Martina Marčan, mag. inž. arh.; Naia Sinde, arq.; Vid Zabel stud.arch.; and Martin Kruh, stud.arch.

The planned construction of two new faculties, namely the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and the Faculty of Pharmacy, is the logical continuation of the decision made 15 years ago to move the Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology and the Faculty of Computer and Information Science to the Biotechnical Faculty and Natonal Biology Institute area, which is zoned for the construction of the Biology Centre Building and the Natural History Museum. The further concentration of technical faculties at the location can be justified by developing a broader area which, aside from the existing Technology Park Ljubljana, is also zoned for the construction of commercial buildings for technological development and apartments for students and visiting researchers, together with the belonging social infrastructure. The relocation of two new faculties from the city centre can therefore be dealt with from the point of view of their development and synergic contribution to setting up a new technology centre in Brdo that, in a nutshell, functions as a micro-city community. The latter can be formed by expanding the neighborhood of apartments for lease, funded by the national and municipal housing trusts, and constructing new road connections to the bypass and the Park & Ride transfer terminal with buses and trains at Dolgi most.

 

 

 

Exhibition and Convention Centre complex

PROJECT NAME: Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre Hall
LOCATION: Dunajska cesta, Ljubljana, Slovenia
GROSS PLOT AREA: 27.600 m2
GROSS FLOOR AREA: 3.340 m2 aboveground, 2.550 m2 underground
PROGRAMME: Retail, hotel, residential
PROMOTOR: Gospodarsko razstavišče
ARCHITECTURE: Ravnikar-Potokar arhitekturni biro d.o.o.

Within the Ljubljana central business district, at the edge of the very city centre, the international fair and congress activity is actively maintained and developed. Based on a comprehensive urban design, the city is planning to develop an upbeat city district by concentrating various activities at a single site while simultaneously expanding the Northern Park and renovating the Baraga Seminary, which was designed by Plečnik. Aimed to condense the activities in the area, the large-scale project is linked to the planned construction of the Ljubljana Passener Station's traffic centre, which is being reconsidered on account of the decision to construct a station hall and a bus station using public funds, and on account of the OTP Hungarian banking group's takeover of the Emonika project. Within the Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre, the contruction of a new multipurpose hall is foreseen. Three office towers, a hotel and apartments are planned beside Dunajska cesta, and a multipurpose commercial building will be constructed beside the inner road. Additionally, the Mladinsko Theatre building will be adjoined to the complex, which will diversify the activities in the multipurpose art and educational centre in the renovated Baraga Seminary.

 

 

 

Logistics Centre Ljubljana complex

PROJECT NAME: Logistics and distribution center Mercator
LOCATION: Slovenija, Ljubljana, Letališka cesta
GROSS PLOT AREA: 127.330 m2
GROSS FLOOR AREA:

• Distribution facility 85.500 m2
• Head office 23.500 m2
• Underground garage 17.000 m2

PROMOTOR: Mercatod, d.d., Ljubljana, Slovenia.
ARCHITECTURE: Studio Pirss, d.o.o., Ljubljana, Slovenia.

The project encompasses the construction of a logistics and distribution centre of the Mercator retail company with a new administrative building, the Intermodal Logistics Terminal of the Slovenian Railways at the edge of BTC and a distribution centre of the Lidl company in Zalog. With a total area of 170,000 m2, the Intermodal Logistics Terminal Ljubljana will be one of the largest land-based terminals in Central and Southeastern Europe. The demanding and extensive project for the construction of the Ljubljana railway hub is related to the re-construction of the existing and the construction of new road connection between Zaloška cesta and Bratislavska cesta with an railway underpass, between Bratislavska and the northern bypass and between the reconstructed, extended Letališka cesta and the western motorway. All of these connections are being planned by the Motorway Company in the Republic of Slovenia (DARS). On the eastern side of the Ljubljana railway hub, the City Municipality of Ljubljana is planning the construction of the new Industrijska cesta with access to the eastern motorway, which will reduce the burden of freight transport on parts of Zalog and Kašelj that lead to the existing and planned economic and logistics zones. 

The agreement between the Motorway Company in the Republic of Slovenia (DARS), the City Municipality of Ljubljana and the Slovenian Infrastructure Agency (DRSI) foresees investments totalling to EUR 300 million in the BTC-10 area. Five projects are under the jurisdiction of the City Municipality of Ljubljana, four are managed by DARS and one is in thehands of DRSI. According to the timeline, the projects are to be be completed by 2020.

 

 

 

Dolgi most

PROJECT NAME: Dolgi most
LOCATION: Dolgi most, Cesta v Gorice, Ljubljana, Slovenia
GROSS PLOT AREA: 8.800 m2
GROSS FLOOR AREA: 10.000 m2
PROGRAMME: Hotel, commercial premises and offices
PROMOTOR: COPIA d.o.o. and MDM Invest d.o.o.
ARCHITECTURE: COLONIarchitects

Four designs for one location and for one client, all made by the same architects, show how fluid the notions of time, space and existence are in our day and age. The immanent connotation of architecture is to strive for longevity. It has remained one of the brightest signs of our civilization throughout many periods in history. Our time, in the absence of greater truth, moves with immense speed, melting infinite possibilities, changes, differences and innovations into a single magma. Sometimes it seems the only aim left is to be "famous for five minutes." We endeavour to go through the creative design process every time we undertake a project, exploring the fundaments of architecture in its inner structure and researching new territories. The south entrance to the city of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, has been the area of our design explorations for the past seventeen years:

2001 Worm - an organic structure hanging above the ground or walking away.
2007 Five Figures - a structuralist approach brings dynamic relationships into the design and its
environment.
2017 Crossroad - balancing volumes are a site transcription in its non-urban connotation. The traffic
intersection and its pendant signal the entrance to the city of Ljubljana.
2018 Butterfly - curved fragments floating over the motorway.