Jože Plečnik, one of the architects we will focus on in the coming months, was an incredibly resourceful architect. He built architectural masterpieces, reimagined the city of Ljubljana, was an indefatigable teacher who developed his own idiosyncratic architectural language. However, his universal appeal, especially for today’s architects, is too often obfuscated by all these diverse achievements. What truly sets Plečnik apart from his peers, then and now, is his ability to establish connections, to create a unique relation between the human subject and his environment.

This idea goes way beyond the design of a single object or building. It encompasses movement, time and – with it – a multitude of spatial configurations. In this sense his appeal to classical forms was a specific means to achieve a different end goal – to communicate, provide orientation, establish identity. Because Plecnik saw the city as an organism and was wary of formal systems to induce change in urban environments his intentions can be grasped best while walking through the city of Ljubljana. There is no single grand view, but there are many discoveries of delicate visual and spatial experiences. Only through the collected memories of experienced situations the entire picture of the city and Plečnik’s vision become apparent.

This autumn a UN Habitat sponsored document on urban planning will be published which focuses on the idea of creating open complex and rich environments through cross-linking spatial components and urban functions. This is exactly what Plečnik excelled in 80 years ago. Therefore we will raise the question: What can we learn from Plečnik today?

To look for answers we will start an open editorial dialogue (it’s a first for us!) with Aljoša Dekleva, Tina Gregorič (dekleva gregorič architects), Andrej Hrausky (Dessa Gallery, Architectural Center), Ana Porok (Plečnik House), Thibaut de Ruyter, Maruša Zorec (Arrea Architecture) and others who will join us later. We will kick this off with a an open editorila meeting at the Plečnik House, Friday 20 October at 6 pm. Ahead of the event we will meet at 5 pm in front of Križanke for a 45-minute walk through Plečnik’s Ljubljana. 

In collaboration: Plečnik House, Videolectures and Österreichisches Kulturforum