RENOVATION OF A CITY CENTRE OF LAŠKO

LOCATION
Laško, Slovenia

COMPETITION YEAR
May 2019

ARCHITECTURE OFFICE
Ravnikar - Potokar arhitekturni biro d.o.o.

ARCHITECTURE
Robert Potokar, Ajdin Bajrović, Virginia Vrecl, Matej Fornazarič, Javier Carrera,
Tina Gradišer, Mina Gutović, Jernej Borko

PRIZE
3rd Prize

Although Laško is a relatively small settlement and was only officially recognised as an urban settlement in 1926, it has a strong historical and spatial identity within this part of Slovenia. It is therefore important that new interventions integrate subtly into both the historic town centre and the landscape along the Savinja River. The interventions are largely anonymous in character, adopting a restrained authorial approach that resonates with the town’s medieval urban structure.

The underlying concept enables the town centre to evolve into a contemporary urban centre, with interventions that support a more harmonious coexistence between residents living in the historic core, visitors who come to socialise, meet in cafés and attend various events, and tourists, particularly spa guests. The overall competition proposal aims to transform the centre of Laško into a well-organised and functional urban environment with a contemporary character that remains grounded in its historical context.

Particular attention was devoted to all areas of the public realm, and especially to Aškerčev trg, which, together with the Church of St. Martin, forms the town’s principal and most important square and has the potential to become the main catalyst for change within the town.

The design draws on contemporary principles of the shared-space approach—a public realm intended for a variety of uses and users, designed so that its function can evolve and adapt to new activities and increasingly rapid changes in contemporary urban life.