Ljubljana, Slovenia, 2008 – 1st Prize

Ljubljana has a unique historic opportunity to seize the benefits of national independence, EU membership and strong economic development and to define the role and identity of a capital in the 21st century. The largest project currently is the Partnership Šmartinska Masterplan, a private-public partnership between the City of Ljubljana and ten private land owners. The project has been developed by Hosoya Schaefer and their team of planers, incorporated into the new zoning plan of the city and will be executed in steps over many years.

This project proposes a process of phased urban renovation supported by an improved spatial layout and the implementation of new, multimodal, and sustainable infrastructure. The most optimistic scenario envisions 1.5 mio sqm of new development on this 230 ha large site over the next 25 years.

At the area’s heart is a triangular central park of 5.9 ha. On its north side a new boulevard transverses the entire site. This road is the infrastructural backbone and main organizing element of the redevelopment area, connecting it to the central station and the city center.

The proposal is based on two different urban patterns and their associated functions: the extension of the city fabric with a flexible program mix utilizing the primary typology of the perimeter block and the extension of the shopping area in the east (BTC) with its generous spaces, large volumes, and shorter building-life cycles offering high commercial returns.