Studio M9

Master diploma project

National University Library II (NUK II) 

Ljubljana, Slovenia

year: 2019.

Subject:

The subject of the research is based on the problems of designing a modern library as well as the formation of a new typology of objects used for the conservation of cultural heritage as a whole. The thesis refers to the project assignment for the National University Library II in Ljubljana (Slovenia), as a topic that, with its historical context, provides the basis for examining the relationship between contemporary (and future) architecture with, in this case, ancient heritage.

Context:

The work refers to the architectural - historical context - the Roman city - Emona, on which Ljubljana is based, the contribution of architect Jože Plečnik,  the legacy from the period of socialism, as well as the cultural - historical context, ie the problems of archiving through analogue and digital formats and architectural manifestations.

Concept:

The aim of the research is to develop a methodology for the design of a cultural object, a comparative analysis of the methods of conservation of archaeological artifacts and archival material and the possibilities for their programmatic cohesion. Within this framework, the issue of media - space of high culture in the context of contemporary technology is examined and its influence on the formation of a new milieu, that is, an examination of the context of objects of cultural character in Ljubljana, in which it is recognized a harmonized architectural expression, through iterative development.

The understanding of the architectural context of Ljubljana is based on an analysis of its modernity in the historical context, as well as the theme of heritage conservation, especially highlighted with the current recognition of the importance of socialist heritage. One of the assumptions is that cultural heritage in the modern age plays the role of a new tectonic layer, (only) by which further design is possible.

By overlapping the physical and atmospheric requirements for the conservation of the entire heritage, the goal is to identify the micro-ambients that form the programming units of the new National University Library. The exhibited works are viewed through two regimes: the first occupies the program of architectural heritage, which transforms from infrastructure into a system of artifacts with a high level of cultural significance, while the second is a system of reference search related to the cognition and classification (filtering) of information.