There will be a number of Technical Tours at this year’s #RSA20 Annual Conference. These will be free of charge, but we kindly ask you to reserve a space online below. Please note that all tours and waiting lists are currently fully booked. Thank you for your understanding.
Wednesday 17th June, 14:00 – 16:00
Meeting point: rear entrance Faculty of Architecture, University of Ljubljana
About Plečnik’s Ljubljana:
The famous architect Jože Plečnik (1872-1957) tried to model Ljubljana on ancient Athens. The multitude of his creations in the city, referred to as a whole as “Plečnik’s Ljubljana”, is considered to be one of the 20th century’s most important total works of art.
Plečnik left a lasting mark on three central European cities: Vienna, Prague and Ljubljana. According to Friedrich Achleitner, a renowned art critic from Vienna, Plečnik with his singular style may come to be considered an architect of the future.
Upon his return from Vienna and Prague to Ljubljana in 1921, Plečnik accepted the post of professor at the newly established University of Ljubljana and focused all his creative energies to designing the city. The so-called “Plečnik’s Ljubljana”, a unique example of urban planning, is considered to be one of the 20th century’s most important total works of art.
In designing today’s nation’s new capital, Plečnik tried to use modern approaches while modelling the city on ancient Athens. His unique style is characterized by the use of redesigned classical architectural elements combined in the master architect’s own special way.
Plečnik redesigned Ljubljana with consideration to the city’s water and land axes. He undertook the building of several of Ljubljana’s key buildings and renovation of numerous existing ones.
Plečnik’s best known works include the National and University Library building, the Ljubljanica river embankments and bridges, the most notable among the latter being the Triple Bridge and the Cobblers’ Bridge, the Central Market, the Križanke Summer Theatre, the Bežigrad Stadium, the funeral home at the Žale cemetery, and the Church of St. Michael in the Marshes.
Plečnik left his own distinctive mark also on Ljubljana’s surrounding areas, where a number of buildings, monuments and churches were renovated in his signature style.
Our shortened tour will take us to the following works by Plečnik:
National and University Library building
Vegova street
Ljubljanica river embankments
Triple Bridge
Cobblers’ Bridge
Central Market
Križanke Summer Theatre
NB: In case of inclement weather, the tour will be moved to Saturday 20th June, 14:00 – 16:00
Wednesday 17th June, 14:00 – approx. 16:00-16:30
Meeting point: Museum of Contemporary Art in Metelkova
Ljubljana in recent decades has been regarded as an important regional hub for alternative, subversive cultural activity. This session is designed as an alternative exploration of Ljubljana’s urban culture and takes place on the move; delegates are invited to join us on a walking tour that emphasises on Ljubljana’s urban squats, but also stops and reflects on additional places of interest that have played a key role in the development of the city’s cultural identity.
We set off at Metelkova Mesto, Ljubljana’s most famous and successful squatting project, controversially home to numerous bars, clubs, independent ateliers and art galleries, as well as institutional museums and successful businesses. Whist we discuss the connections between political activism, cultural production and urban surpluses in a city in transition, we make our way to one of the city’s most promising regeneration projects, the former sugar factory of Cukrarna. From there, we will head west towards Ambrožev Trg, where the Municipality of Ljubljana’s Department of Culture is located. There, we make a quick stop to consider the impact of the regional economic and political landscape on issues of urban regeneration, before we embark for our stop at Tovarna ROG, an urban squat with a rich past and an even more contested present and future. From ROG, we traverse Trubarjeva Cesta, a street that is currently being pedestrianised in order to accommodate the city’s expansive tourism intake, in order to finish off at Prešernov Trg Ljubljana’s focal meeting point. At our last stop, we will draw conclusions on the history of squatting, activism and culture in Ljubljana, and we will open the floor to further questions and discussions.
This session will feature thematic talks off our current Leverhulme funded research project: Making and Managing Ljubljana’s Urban Squats – Inclusive and Participatory Practices, which can be visited here.
We invite you to join us for a coffee (cost not covered by the RSA) at a nearby café after our tour has concluded, in order to engage in cross-pollination of ideas and networking.
No physical effort is required: this is a casual urban stroll that does not require any particular level of physical ability. Delegates are advised to bring water.
Wednesday 17th June, 14:30 – 16:30
Meeting point: Vodnik Homestead
Writers HUB is a pilot action of Forget Heritage project – RRA LUR partially renovated and refurbished two unused rooms on the 1st floor of the Vodnik Homestead in order to develop a new programme – Writers’ Hub. In addition to physical renovation, new programmes were developed, such as workshops, mentorship programmes and accompanying events for various target groups. The Writers’ Hub is also a free of charge co-working place with four desks for young writers.
Wednesday 17th June, 17:30 – 19:30
Meeting point: Library of Things (Knjižnica REČI)
First Library of things in Slovenia where its members can borrow various useful items instead of books. On the shelves are many useful things, such as tools for home repairs and garden work, various home appliances, cleaning tools, sports equipment, items for entertainment and leisure, aids for creative pursuits and things for children and even a wedding dress. The Library of things saves money through establishing the so called ‘sharing economy’, reduces production needs and hence has positive environmental effects, as well as fosters greater cohesion of the community. It enables individuals to use items they might otherwise not be able to afford or that would take too much space if owned.
Saturday 20th June, 13:30-15:30
Meeting point: In front of the City Hall
Meeting in front of City Hall, city walk through the old city of Ljubljana which is closed for traffic (presentation of closure process of city center – pedestrian zone), a short drive with Kavalir electric vehicles, presentations of Parking policy and parking facilities, system Bicikelj – city bike, E-Car sharing Avant2go and visiting Park and Ride (P+R) collection point.