The trio have earned the recognition for incorporating the existing natural and historical features into a new architectural whole using demanding technical and design solutions, according to the jury.

The pavilion is a good solution at several levels - in the relation to the Joenniemi Manor and to the surrounding park and forest. It is a low, compact building with deep cuts that form atriums and gardens combining architecture and nature.

Speaking at the award ceremony on Monday, Culture Minister Julijana Bizjak Mlakar, said that her ministry understood architecture as responsible and creative response to social and environmental challenges.

She added that while trying to create a future, architects must not forget about Slovenia's cultural heritage, which should be preserved and incorporated in modern life to the greatest possible extent.

Plečnik awards have been conferred by the Jože Plečnik Fund, named after famed architect Jože Plečnik (1872-1957), since 1972.

Last year it went to architects Matija Bevk, Vasa Perović and Andrej Ukmar for the Situla, a luxurious residential complex in the centre of Slovenia's capital.