FILM MUSEUM NEXT TO THE KINOTEKA AND NEW OFFICES FOR SLOVENSKA KINOTEKA

CLIENT
Slovenska Kinoteka

PROJECT YEAR
project 2018 - 2022
construction 2019 - 2023

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

ARCHITECTURE
Robert Potokar, Mateja Šetina

PHOTOS
Virginia Vrecl

The premises are located in the former Chamber of Labour building, designed by architect Vladimir Šubic in 1928, which also houses the Slovene Cinematheque auditorium. Conceived as an urban palace accommodating a wide range of functions—including offices, apartments, a labour exchange, a library, a public kitchen and a multi-purpose hall—the building reflects this diversity through its U-shaped layout and four separate entrances serving different programmes. The premises in question are located on the raised ground floor, to the left of the entrance to the Cinematheque. They are accessed through two entrances from Miklošičeva Street.

The former office premises along Čufarjeva Street are intended for the Museum of Film. The programme is divided into an entrance area, a workshop and educational space separated by a newly inserted sanitary core, and an exhibition space.

The project included the refurbishment and replacement of floor finishes, partial replacement of doors and windows, renovation of the heating system, replacement of electrical installations, and adaptation of the water supply and drainage connections. The main intervention involved the partial or complete removal of partition walls to create two larger open spaces: an entrance and educational area and an exhibition space. In the former, the suspended ceiling was removed to reveal the ribbed reinforced-concrete slab, while the original ceiling with its curved transitions was preserved in the exhibition space. This further reinforces the distinct character of the two spaces.

The second group of renovated premises is located on the raised ground floor, to the left of the entrance at Miklošičeva 26, extending along Čufarjeva Street. It can also be accessed through the recently completed Museum of Film. The renovated premises provide 173 m² of usable floor area. The former administrative office to the left of the main entrance to the auditorium has been converted into a museum shop, while the wing along Čufarjeva Street has been adapted to accommodate administrative offices and museum education and interpretation rooms.

As part of the renovation, the entrance door to the Museum of Film premises from the corridor at Miklošičeva 26 was also replaced. The new glazed door set in a metal frame creates, at least visually, a connection between the otherwise separate Cinematheque units, each of which retains its own entrance.