Vodovod–KanalizacijaPoslovna hiša / Office building

Andrej Mlakar 4

Lapidarnostjedr natost, zgoščenost, klenost

lapi da ren:kra tek, jedr nat, zgoščen, klen, kot napis v kamnu

Lapidaryconcise, pithy, concentrated, precise,

as though inscribed in stone

Miha De‰man

Nova poslov na palačajav ne ga pod je tja Vodovod–Kanalizacija

arhi tekt Andrej Mlakar

The new office building of thepublic utility company Vodovod–Kanalizacija

archi tect Andrej Mlakar

rhitektura že zaradi časa, ki mine od zasnove do izvedbe,

težko sledi zadnji modi, ima pa zato daljši rok tra ja nja. Če je

neka nova stav ba slaba, je to jasno takoj. Kaj je zares dobro in

kaj je muha eno dnev ni ca, pa pokaže šele čas. Tako se nove

stav be znajdejo v nekakšnih vicah. Kritiki jih ovo ha va mo in

tro si mo rožice ali gnoj, umet nost na zgodovina pa počaka in

jih v anto lo gi je uvršča po pre te ku deset le tja ali dveh.

Palača VO-KA pa je nas ta ja la celo deset le tje. Projekti zanjo so

bili nare je ni že leta 1992. To omogoča, da je po eni strani

njeno vre dno te nje lažje in objek tiv nejše, po drugi pa je tudi

‘zamudila trend’. zato kaj lahko, kljub nespor nim kva li te tam,

ostane nezapažena in jo bomo kri ti ki morda odkri li ‘za nazaj’.

Čas, ki je minil od pro jek ta do realizacije, stav bi ni škodil, prej

nasprot no. Omogočil je arhi tek to vim zamislim, da so dozorele

in se izčisti le. Nagovor nove stav be tako seve da ni po zadnji

modi. zaman bi iska li zapeljive topo loške površine in tren dov -

ski stilistični dizajn. Ta je zgolj nakazan v ukriv lje ni stre hi avle

in nag nje nem por ti ku. Sicer pa stav bo odli ku je jo bolj klasične

vrli ne dobre arhi tekture: traj nost, eko no mičnost, raci onal nost,

upo rab nost. Velja se vprašati, kaj je boljše: pamet na in

nepretenciozno kva li tet na stav ba ali pa stav ba kot znak, bla-

gov na znamka, pla ka tiv na ikona ali celo eksces?

Odgovor naj poišče vsak zase, tudi sam ga ne vem. Kot arhi -

tekt pa seve da dajem arhi tekturi pre dnost pred mar ke tin gom.

ANova poslov na palača jav ne ga pod je tja Vodovod–Kanalizacija

ecause of the time that elapses from planning to execution,

architecture finds it difficult to follow the latest trend, but it

has a longer period of duration. If a given new building is a

poor one, this is immediately apparent. However, only time

reveals what is really good and what is merely ephemeral.

New buildings thus make their way in a kind of purgatory.

We critics sniff at them and shower them with roses or

dung, but art history waits and ranks them in its anthology

only after the course of a decade or two.

The VO-KA office building was an entire decade in the

making. The plans for it were worked out back in 1992. This

made possible, on the one hand, an easier and more objective

evaluation. On the other hand, though, it also ‘missed the

trend’. It can thus, despite undisputed qual-ity, remain unnoti-

ced and we critics may perhaps discover it ‘in reverse’.

The time that elapsed from the planning to the realisation of

the building was not a loss, but just the opposite. It allowed

the architect time to reflect, time to ripen and clarify his ideas.

Certainly, then, the statement of the new building does not

follow the latest fashion trend. A search for seductive topolo-

gical surfaces and trendy stylistic design would be in vain. This

is only seen in the curving roof of the hall and the sloping por-

tico. Indeed, the building is distin-guished more by the classic

values of good architecture: durability, economy, rationality

and functionality. It is worth asking which is better: a sensible

and unpretentiously quality building – or a building as a sign,

as a trademark, as a placard-like icon or even an excess?

Let each seek his own answer, because I also do not know.

As an architect, however, I certainly give architecture priority

above marketing.

BThe new office building of the public utility company Vodovod–Kanalizacija

urba ni topo gra fi ji Bežigra da jezahodno zaledje Dunajske cestenespe ci fično in kaotično. V morjuperi fer ne pozidave se kljub temupojav lja jo posamezne urba ne zgo-ščine, ki so pra vi lo ma sledizgodovinske rabe pro sto ra. Enaod njih je tudi loka ci ja novepalače VO-KA, ki jo odli ku jepozicija na križišču dveh cest – vorto go nal ni sistem vpeteSlovenčeve in Vodovodne, ki dia-go nal no preči urba ni vzorec.Skupaj oblikuje ta tri kot ni stavb niotok, ki se čelno odpi ra protimest ne mu središču. Lokacija jepro met no ugo dna. Blizu jeobvoznica, mimo pote ka ta javnipotniški pro met in pri mest naželeznica. Lokacija, ki je bilaizbrana na podla gi študi je LUz žedalj ne ga leta 1991, ima tudi sim -bol ni pomen. Vodovodna cestapote ka po trasi prve ga ljub ljan ske -ga vodovoda, ki pote ka iz črpa-lišča Kleče do mest ne ga središča.Iz tega črpališča še danes izviranaj boljša ljub ljan ska voda. zgoščen opis stav be bi bil lahko:dolžina 90 m, širina med 20 in 50m, sku paj s par kir no nad strešnico90 m: višina dve kleti, pri tličje indve etaži: površina 7500 poslov -nih, 15000 par kir nih m2. Gradnjakva drat ne ga metra poslov nih inser vi snih površin je stala 700 EUR,par kir nih površin pa 300 EUR.Suha sta ti sti ka pove nekaj ovelikosti in ceni. To je nedvo mnozelo pomemb no, ni pa vse, sajmora biti sta ti sti ka nad gra je na skva li tet no arhi tekturo. Ta pa jekom plek sna in zahteva od arhi -tek ta popol no obvla da nje takoinženir stva kot umet no sti. Skušalbom opi sa ti, zakaj je ta stav bakva li tet na. Govoril bom o tehnič-nih in strokov nih rečeh, zato seopra vičujem, če se bo komu zdelopis predolg.

V n the urban topography of Bežigradthe western background area ofDunajska Cesta is characterised by alack of specificity and chaos. In thesea of the peripheral built-up area,individ-ual urban concentrationsappear that, as a rule, proceed fromthe historical use of the space. Oneof these is also the location of thenew VO-KA build-ing, which is dis-tinguished by its position at theintersection of two streets – in theorthogonal system fixed bySlovenčeva Ulica and VodovodnaCesta, which cuts diagonally acrossthe urban pattern. Together, theyform a triangular building islandthat opens frontally toward the citycentre. The location is advantage-ous with regard to traffic. Themotorway loop is nearby, andpublic transport and the area rail-way run past it. The location, whichwas selected on the basis of theLUz study back in 1991, also hassymbolic importance. VodovodnaCesta runs along the course ofLjubljana’s first aqueduct, whichflows from the Kleče pumping sta-tion to the city centre. Today thebest water in Ljubljana still comesfrom this pumping station.A condensed description of thebuild-ing would be easy: a length of90 m, a width from 20 to 50 m,together with the car park pergola90 m: a height consisting of twosub-ground levels, a ground floor,and two upper floors: 7,500 m2 ofcommercial area and 15,000 m2 ofparking area. The construction persquare meter of commercial and ser-vice area cost EUR 700 and for theparking area EUR 300. These dry sta-tistics tell something about the sizeand cost. Without doubt, this is veryimportant, but it is not everything,because statistics must be built uponquality architecture. This is complexand demands from architecture afull mastery of both engineering andart. I shall attempt to describe whythis is a quality building. I shall speakabout technical and professionalmatters, and therefore I offer myapology, should the descriptionseem overlong to anyone.

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Tloris kleti 1Basement 11 parkiranje

Parking2 garderobe

Cloakroom3 laboratorij

Laboratory4 arhiv

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rikotna par ce la je zasedena napremišljen način, tako da se stav badobro usede v loka ci jo. Dva trak ta,postav lje na v obli ki črke L, ki sesti ka ta z voga lo ma, oblikuje ta dvazunanja pro sto ra: spred nji vho dnipro stor proti križišču in zadnji,večji par kir ni pro stor, ki s kri lomnad streška inter pre ti ra tri kot nopar ce lo. Malo mi je žal, da manjšikva der ni za kakšni dve etaži višji,da bi deloval bolj kot stolp.Urbanistično bi tako bolje mar ki ralkrižišče in odgo vo ril višjim sosed -njim objek tom.Fasade so oblečene v sodob nooble ko iz kamna, betona, kovi nein ste kla. Manjši trakt je poudar je -no ste re ome tričen, zato so odpr ti -ne ena ko pra ven del zveznegafasad ne ga ovoja. Večji trakt pa jeglede na ori en ta ci jo fasad arti ku li -ran na zaprto čelno fasa do, ki jodoloča poteza avle in vhoda, dveenaki ste kle ni vzdolžni fasa di, kijima kovin ska senčila dajo lah kot -no tehničen, poudar je nohorizontalni značaj, ter ser vi snozadnjo fasa do s čitlji vo bazilikalnozasnovo.Trikotno par ki rišče je nad kri to zboga to nad strešnico monu men tal -nih dimenzij in kon struk ci je.Petindvajsetmetrski razpon premo-ščajo jekle ni pro stor ski paličninosil ci, ki nosi jo tran spa rent nostre ho. Parkirišče, ki je pona va digrd in zanemarjen pro stor,postane pokrit trg za avte, neka-kšen sodob ni urba ni pro stor, kjerse name sto s toale to ali stasomkažeš s avto mo bil sko znamko.zato je prav par ki riščenajzanimivejši tipo loški novumobjek ta.

T he triangular lot is filled in a deli-berate manner, in a way that thebuilding fits into the location well.Two L-shaped tracts, joined attheir corners, form the two exte-rior areas: the front entry areatowards the intersection and therear, larger parking area, whichaccents the triangular lot with thewing of its projecting roof. I regretsomewhat that the small ashlar isnot higher by two stories, to actmore like a column. From the pers-pective of urban planning, thiswould better mark the intersectionand respond to the highersurrounding buildings.The facades are fashioned in con-temporary style from stone, con-crete, metal and glass. The smallertract is emphatically stereometric,and the openings are therefore apart of the open-plan facade cove-ring in their own right. The largertract is articulated with respect tothe orientation of the facades tothe closed front facade, which isdefined by the line of the hall andthe entrance, two identical longitu-dinal glass facades, to which themetal shadows give a gentle tech-nical, emphasised horizontal cha-racter as well as a rear service faca-de with a perceptible basilicadesign.The triangular car park is coveredby a rich pergola of monumentaldimensions and construction.Supporting girders of steel bridgea 25-metre span, supporting atransparent roof. The car park,which is generally an unattractiveand neglected place, becomes acovered square for cars, a kind ofcontemporary urban space, whereyou express yourself through themake of your car rather than yourdress or figure. It is therefore thecar park that is the most interes-ting typological innovation in thebuilding.

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Tloris pritličjaGround floor1 vhodna ploščad

Entrance piazzetta2 večetažni hall

Entrance hall3 blagajne

Cashier4 pisarne

Offices

5 dvoranaHall

6 restavracijaRestaurant

7 parkiranjeParking

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0 10 20 30 mTloris 2. nadstropjaSecond floor1 pisarne

Offices2 večetažno stopnišče

Staircase3 sejna soba

Meeting room

Tloris 1. nadstropjaFirst floor

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asade so oblečene v sodob no oble koiz kamna, betona, kovi ne in ste kla.Manjši trakt je poudar je no ste re ome -tričen, zato so odpr ti ne ena ko pra vendel zveznega fasad ne ga ovoja. Večjitrakt pa je glede na ori en ta ci jo fasadarti ku li ran na zaprto čelno fasa do, kijo določa poteza avle in vhoda, dveenaki ste kle ni vzdolžni fasa di, ki jimakovin ska senčila dajo lah kot no teh-ničen, poudar je no horizontalniznačaj, ter ser vi sno zadnjo fasa do sčitlji vo bazilikalno zasnovo.

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he facades are fashioned in contem-porary style from stone, concrete,metal and glass. The smaller tract isemphatically stereometric, and theopenings are therefore a part of theopen-plan facade covering in theirown right. The larger tract is articula-ted with respect to the orientation ofthe facades to the closed front facade,which is defined by the line of the halland the entrance, two identical longi-tudinal glass facades, to which themetal shadows give a gentle technical,emphasised horizontal character aswell as a rear service facade with aperceptible basilica design.

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Vzhodna fasadaVzdolžni prerezzahodna fasada

East facadeLongitudinal sectionWest facade

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Vhod s piazzetto, vzhodna fasada, severna fasada

Entrance with piazzetta, east facade, north facade

Južna fasadaSeverna fasadaPrečni prerez

South facadeNorth facadeCross section

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oda je diskret na, pa ven darvse pov sod pri sot na temapalače. Vhodno piazzetto, kije diskret no dvig nje na nadnivo par ter ja, kra si ta sten skivod njak in jam bor kot ele -men ta bolj tra di ci onal ne, pa včasu post mo der ne znovaobujene urba ne iko no gra fi je.Glavni vhod s piazzette jeoznačen z nad streškom – por -ti kom, ki izhaja iz aero di na -mično zaobljene stre he osred -nje ga pro sto ra. To je ena odred kih reto ričnih gest, s kate -ri mi arhi tekt razgovarja sicerzadržano obli ko va no celoto.

ater is a discrete, but none-theless omnipresent, themeof the building. The smallentry piazza, which is discre-tely raised above the level ofthe parterre, is embellishedby a wall fountain and mastas elements of more traditio-nal, but timely post-modernurban iconography outfitted anew.The main entrance from thesmall piazza is accentuatedby a projecting roof – a porti-co that proceeds from theaerodynam-ically rounded-offroof of the central area. Thisis one of the few rhetoricalgestures with which thearchitect communi-cates theotherwise restrained designof the whole.

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vla sredi intro ver ti ra ne poslov nestav be se razteza skozi tri etaže.Tvorijo jo stopniščni pro stor zbazilikalno osvet li tvi jo in odpr tihod ni ki pred pisar na mi. Podstopniščem, ki v eni potezi tečeskozi vse tri etaže, so sprav lje nesejne sobe in ser vi sni pro sto ri. Avlaje namenje na stran kam, ki obi sku -je jo oken ca v pri tličju, pa tudizaposlenim, ki se lahko preko ograjpogo var ja jo v medi te ran skem ulič-nem ambi en tu. Osrednji pro stor jetorej pro stor komu ni ka ci je – medljud mi in med pro sto ri. Sejne sobeso oprem lje ne s celo sten ski mičrno-beli mi foto gra fi ja mi ljub ljan -skih vod nja kov, ki jih je posnelznani arhi tektur ni foto graf MiranKambič.

A n the middle of the introvertedcommercial building, the hallextends through three floors. Itconsists of a staircase area withbasilica-style light-ing and openhallways in front of the offices.Below the staircase, which runs ina single line through all three flo-ors, are arranged meeting roomsand ser-vice areas. The hall is desig-ned for the customers that come tothe counters on the ground floor,as well as for employees, who cancarry on conversations through therailing with the ambiance of aMediterranean-style street. Thecentral area is therefore an area forcommunication – between peopleand between spaces. The meetingrooms are equipped with wall-sizedmonochrome photographs of thefountains of Ljubljana, which weretaken by the well-known architec-tural photographer Miran Kambič.

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inte ri eru avle so upo rab lje ni domačikamni, pred vsem pohor ski tona lit.Stopnišče se zaključi s steno izmasiv nih, veli kih tona lit nih plošč.Galerija fon tan je del že ome nje netemat ske rdeče niti, namreč vode.Tudi izbira barv sodi v ta reper to ar,zlasti posrečena apnenčasto zeleno-modra, ki se pojav lja v oblo gahser vi snih pro sto rov.Manjši trakt je povezan z večjim vvseh etažah. V pri tličju je majh nadvorana, jedil ni ca s kuhi njo ininter ni bife. Dvorana je obložena zlesom, ki ga pre ki nja jo paso vi luči.Jedilnica in bar imata oblo go izobli ko va nih alu mi ni ja stih plošč, ki jidaje jo sij sodob no sti in teh no loškenapre dno sti. Vhod v bar označujeizmaknjena stena.Pogoji za zaposlene so opti mal ni.Arhitekt je strop vseh pisar niškihpro sto rov poševno dvig nil od hod -ni ka proti zunanji fasa di. Tako jepod obešenim stro pom dovoljpro sto ra za inštala ci je, ki so takoali tako pretežno v jedr ni coni, nafasa di pa je etažna kon struk ci jastanjšana na mini mum, da oknapisarn zajamejo čim več narav nesvet lo be. Veliko pozornosti je posvečenokli mat ski in ener get ski zasnoviobjek ta. Pred vzhodno in zahodnofasa do pisarn so premični brise-sole ili s cen tral nim krmi ljen jem.Notranje stene pisarn ob hod ni kuso masiv ne, sestav lje ne iz beton -skih slo pov, ki z aku mu la ci jo regu -li ra jo klimo v stav bi. Ponoči se hišahladi s svežim zrakom, podne vi paslopi odda ja jo aku mu li ran hlad.Tako je bistve no zmanj-šana potre -ba po umet ni klimi. Manjša pora baener gi je pa pome ni manjšo ekološ-ko obre me ni tev in pri hra nek.

V n the interior of the hall is useddomestic stone, especially tonalitefrom Pohorje. The staircase closeswith a wall of large, solid tonaliteslabs. The fountain arcade is a partof the principle thematic elementalready mentioned – namely,water. The choice of colours is alsopart of this repertoire, especiallythe well-chosen limestone green-blue, which appears in the wains-coting of the service areas.The smaller tract is connectedwith the larger at all floors. On theground floor there is a small hall, adining area with a kitchen and arefreshment area for employees.The hall is outfitted with a woodveneer, interrupted by track ligh-ting. The dining area and bar havewainscoting formed from shapedaluminium tiles, which contributesa sheen of modernity and technicalinnovation. The entrance to thebar is marked by an offset wall.Working conditions are optimal.The architect raised the ceilings ofall the offices obliquely from thehallway to the exterior facade.There is thus sufficient room belowthe suspended ceil-ing for the ins-tallations that, in one way or ano-ther, are predominantly found in acore zone, and on the facade thefloor construction has been redu-ced to a minimum to allow thewindows of the offices to take inas much natural light as possible.Great attention has been dedicatedto the climate control and energydesign of the building. In front ofthe eastern and western facade ofthe offices there are mobile brise-soleils with a central control.The interior walls of the officesalong the hallway are solid, cons-tructed from concrete pillars andable to regulate the climate in thebuilding through temperatureaccumulation. At night the buil-ding cools off with fresh air, andduring the day the columns provi-de a cooling effect. In this way,the need for artificial climate con-trol is significantly reduced. Lowerconsumption of energy meanssavings and reduced demands onthe environment.

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Tajništvo glavnega direktorja, njegova pisarna in sejna soba

Office of the general’s manager secretary , general manager’s office and meeting room

Pisarna tajništva in direktorja sektorja

Secretary’s office and office of sector manager

Pisarni, blagajna

offices, cashier’s area

rnimo se k podo bi. Teatralnostcelote je stro go kon trolira na.Nagovor je zgoščen in lapi da ren.Omeji se pred vsem na piazzetto zvod nja kom pred vho dom, namonu men tal no stopnišče ter napar kir no nad strešnico, skrat ka, nasklad njo jav nih in pol jav nih pro sto -rov. Arhitekt zrelo upo rab ljapreizku-šene arhi tektur ne ele men tein detaj le in jih zlaga v smi sel no inpre pričljivo celoto. Gre za dobrotem pe ri ra no stav bo, ki je lahko zazgled. Preredek feno men je, damest na javna služba, ki živi oddenar ja komi ten tov, tega vračamestu s tem, da vlaga v kva li tet noarhi tekturo. za uspe lo realizacijovelja pohvaliti vsaj tri: arhi tek ta,izvajalce in naročnika. Prognoziramji uspešno, dolgo in zdravo življe nje.

V o return to the image – the theatre-like quality of the whole is strictlycontrolled. The statement is conciseand lapidary. It limits itself primarilyto the small piazza with the foun-tain before the entrance, to themonumental staircase and to thecar park pergola – in short, to thesyntax of the public and semi-publicspaces. The architect makes matureuse of tested architectural elementsand details, and arranges them intoa sensible and persuasive whole. Itis a well-tempered building that canbe held forth as an example. It is alltoo rare a phenomenon that a citypublic service, which subsists onuser fees, makes a return to the citywhen it invests in quality architectu-re. For successful realisation, at leastthree parties are to be commended:the architect, the contractors andthe investor. It is my prediction thatit will have a successful, long andhealthy life.

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Fontana

kipar Mirsad Begic

egic´eva fon ta na, namenje na pitjuvode, obrašča neki šum. In okolinežnega šuma svoje vode se vvhod nem pro sto ru stav be, v kate -re ga je postav lje na, samavzpostavlja kot neki šum, pri ha ja jočod dru god. zanimivo je opazovati, kako je vsvoji krhki nag njenosti obli ko va nakot popol no nas pro tje arhi tektur negeome tri je pro sto ra, ki pa tegaarhi tektur ne ga pro sto ra ne zanika,ampak je v njem prav tistiizmikajoči se ele ment, ki mu ssvojo krhkos tjo poda rja nekoposeb no trdnost: v njem neučinku je kot okras ali doda tek,ampak kot pre se nečenje, kiizpostavlja pro ble ma tičnost inkrhkost meje med človeškos tjo innara vo sredi neke arhi tekture, zakate ro je vide ti, da stoji v svetu,kjer je ta pro ble ma tičnost inkrhkost pozabljena – ko pa jo vpi -su je nazaj, izpostavlja tudi nekoresni co arhi tekture kot take.Izpostavlja neko iner ci jo mate ri al -no sti, ki združuje slo ve snost vBegic´evem opusu že dolgo sko rajobre dno ponav lja nih form (‘antič-na’ forma amfo re in značilna sil hu -eta ptiča-čuvar ja) s skriv nost mi pre -snav lja nja odpad ne ga – ali arhe -ološkega – mate ri ala, ko nekaj, karje bilo �love�ko,spet posta ja –a ne na har mo ničen način, ampakprej boleče, skozi razpad, obra slostin nece lo vitost – del nara ve: takome je ta fon ta na spo mni la mno gihmojih opazovanj in razmišljanj, vkate rih me zmeraj znova fasci ni ra joti pro ce si. Begic´ jih zmoretematizirati z veli ko poetičnomočjo. Ta fon ta na tega pro ble mane izpostavlja zelo ostro, ampak

bolj s poudar kom na nežnosti. Sstrašno nežnim nagi bom, ki galahko obenem razumemo kot izro-čenost tele sne mu stiku in kot nekonag njenost v tujost. Vse to so seve -da pred vsem splošne značilno stiBegic´evega kipar stva: to kipar stvoje ves čas zaznamovano spozornostjo do teh mate ri al nihtrans for ma cij, s kate ri mi se izodvrženosti ne-več-človeškegaproizvaja nekakšna schel lin gov skageisti ge K�rper lic hke it.Begic´ jetu upo ra bil svoje značilne postop kein značilno iko no gra fi jo, a kljubprepoznavnosti v nje go vem opusustal no ponav lja jočih se ele men tovgre za osre do točenje na kon kret novse bi no fon ta ne: tu gre zadelovanje vode, ki ni pre pro stoponu je na v pitje iz neke deko ra tiv -ne lupi ne, ampak dejan sko pre pa javse, kar jo obrašča, je tisto, karomogoča obraščanje, vse -prežemajoča vlažnost, ki omogočazarejanje neznanih bitij, tudi zarejanjetega, kar je neko� biločloveško. In zdaj je vse sku pajpoteg nje no ven iz svoje potop -ljenosti in bistven je ravno ta učinek.Tudi značilne poso de-loba nje nisole neka pre pro sta stilizacija združu-joče sim bo li ke, ampak ponazoritevteh pro ce sov, z vsem časom čaka -nja, odvrženosti, potop ljenosti ... VBegic´e-vem kipar stvu v pono vi tvahne gre toli ko za ponav lja nje kot zakrhkost vztrajanja,za upočasnje ničas, ki je vedno v odno su znepred stav lji vim časom stva ri v nji -ho vem pre snav lja nju. In šum tevode se pre bi ja skozi ta čas. Je, kopijemo vodo iz te fon ta ne, mogočepiti tovodo?

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Fountain

sculptor Mirsad Begic

certain sound surrounds Begic´’sfountain, intended for drinkingwater. And, around the gentlenoise of its water in the entrywayto the building in which it is displa-yed, it establishes itself as a certainsound emanating from elsewhere.It is interesting to observe how, inits fragile inclination of design, itserves as a complete contradictionto the architectural geometry ofthe space – which however doesnot negate this architectural space,but within it is an elusive elementthat, through its fragility, be-stowsupon it some particular strength.In this space it does not have theeffect of an ornament or an addi-tion, but as an unexpected ele-ment exposing the doubtfulnessand fragility of the border betweenhumanity and nature in the middleof a certain architecture for whichit can be seen that it stands in aworld where this doubtfulness andfragility is forgotten – when this isregistered, it also represents a cer-tain truth of architecture per se.It exposes a certain inertia ofmateri-ality that combines thesolemnity in Begi'’s work, with itslong and almost religious repeti-tion of forms (the ‘antique’ formsof amphorae and distinc-tive sil-houettes of a bird-guardian), withthe secrets of the transformationof the discarded – or archaeologi-cal – material, when something,that had been human,againbecomes so – however not in aharmonious manner, but in-steadpainfully, through decay, throughbeing overgrown, through incom-pleteness – a part of nature. Thisfountain thus reminded me ofmany of my observations andreflections, in which these proces-ses continually fascinate me anew.Begi' manages to thematicise thesethrough a great poetic power. Thisfountain does not present this pro-blem in very pointed way, but

rather with an emphasis on deli-cacy: with an extremely gentleinclination, which at the same timecan be understood as a surrenderto bodily contact and as a certainleaning toward the foreign. All ofthese are, of course, general cha-racteristics of Begi'’s sculpture: abody of sculpture that has alwaysbeen marked by an attention tothose material transformations bywhich, from the casting off of theno-longer-human, is producedsome kind of geistigeK�rperlich?keitin the spirit ofSchelling. Here Begi' made use ofhis distinctive processes and cha-racteristic iconography. However,despite the recognition in his workof constantly repeating elements,there is a focus on the concretecontent of the fountain: here it isthe oper-ation of the water, whichis not simply offered for drinkingfrom some decorative shell, butactually inundates everything thatsurrounds it: it is that which makespossible the surrounding, all-perva-sive wetness, which enables theengenderingof unknown creatu-res, and also the engendering ofthat which was once human. Andnow everything together is drawnout from its submersion and,essentially, that is exactly theeffect.The characteristic skull-vessels arenot only a certain simple stylisationof a uniting symbolism, but anillustration of these processes, inthe course of the entire time wai-ting, casting away, submerging...In Begi'’s sculpture, recapitulationis not so much a matter of repeti-tion as it is a fragility of persisten-ce, a slowing down of time, whichis always in relation to the unrep-resentable time of an object in itstransformation. And the sound ofthe water breaks through thistime. As we drink water from thisfountain, is it possible to drink this

A

Andrej MlakarRojen / born on 13. 9. 1954.Diplomiral leta 1979 naFakulteti za arhitekturo vLjubljani.Graduated from the Faculty ofArchitecture in Ljubljana in1979.

Poslovni naslovBusiness addressKROG d.o.o.Krakovski nasip 221000 Ljubljana, SlovenijaGSM: 041/796 095Tel. + fax: 01/426 57 61

Priznanja za arhitekturozlata pticaLjubljana, 1982

Jugoslovansko mladinsko priz-nanje za arhitekturozagreb, 1984

Priznanje za razstavljeno delo inpostavitev razstave:DAL, razstava Društva arhitektovLjubljane, Ljubljana, 1988

Architecture awardsGolden Bird AwardLjubljana, 1982

Yugoslav Award for YoungArchitects zagreb, 1984

Award for exhibition work and exhibition lay-out: DAL, Exhibition of theArchitects’ Society of Ljubljana,1988

Realizacije• Vrtec Rožna dolina,

Ljubljana, 1981

• Vodarna Medlog,Celje, 1984

• Tržnica Kamnik,Kamnik, 1989

• Stanovanjska soseska naLedarski ulici, Ljubljana, 1995

• Bežigrajski dvor:stanovanjski bloki, 1995,garaže, 1995,zunanja ureditev, 1996

• Poslovno–trgovski objekt na Litijski cesti,Ljubljana, 1996-1998

• Poslovno–stanovanjski objekti:med Metelkovo cesto inKotnikovo ulico,poslovno–stanovanjski objektE, 1997,poslovno–stanovanjski objektD, 2000-2001,poslovni objekt P, 2000,Ljubljana, 1997-2001

• Pravna fakulteta, prenovaTiskarne Ljudska pravica,Ljubljana, 1997-2000

• Poslovno–servisni objektVodovod-Kanalizacija,Ljubljana, 2001

• Enodružinska hiša na Škofljici,Ljubljana, 2001

Razstave• Trgi za naša mesta,

skupinska razstava,Beograd, Delft, Novi Sad,Skopje, 1982

• Razstava dobitnikov priznanj zlata ptica,Novo mesto, 1982

• Nekatere nove tendencev novejši slovenski arhitekturi,Piran, Rijeka, Beograd, 1984

• Salon arhitekture,Beograd, 1986

• DAL, razstava Društva arhitektov Ljubljane,Ljubljana, 1986, 1988, 2001

• Razstava za nagrado Piranesi,Piran, 1997, 2002

Projects• Rožna Dolina nursery school,

Ljubljana, 1981

• Medlog water supply centre,Celje, 1984

• Kamnik market, Kamnik, 1989

• Residential neighbourhood on Ledarska ulica,Ljubljana, 1995

• Bežigrajski Dvor:Blocks of flats, 1995,Garages, 1995,Landscaping, 1996

• Business and shopping centreon Litijska cesta,Ljubljana, 1996-1998

• Business and residential areas: between Metelkova cesta andKontikova ulica, Office and residential building E, 1997, Office and residential building D, 2000-2001, Office building P, 2000, Ljubljana, 1997-2001

• Faculty of Law, restoration ofLjudska Pravica Printing House,Ljubljana, 1997-2000

• Office and services buildingVodovod-Kanalizacija,Ljubljana, 2001

• Single family home in Škofljica,Ljubljana, 2001

Exhibitions• Squares for our cities,

joint exhibition, Belgrade, Delft, Novi Sad, Skopje, 1982

• Exhibition of Golden Birdaward winners,Novo mesto, 1982

• Some new trends in recentSlovenian architecture,Piran, Rijeka, Belgrade, 1984

• Architecture showroom,Belgrade, 1986

• DAL, Exhibition of theArchitects’ Society of Ljubljana,Ljubljana, 1986, 1988, 2001

• Piranesi Award Exhibition,Piran, 1997, 2002

Javno podjetjeVodovod–Kanalizacija d.o.o.

Vodovodna cesta 90, p.p. 32331001 Ljubljana, Slovenija

tel.: + 386 (0) 1 580 81 00faks: + 386 (0) 1 580 84 03

e-pošta: voka@vo-ka.siwww.vo-ka.si

Arhitektura in oprema / Architecture and interiorAndrej Mlakar

Sode lav ci arhitekture / Architectural teamSamo Groleger

Tatjana MahovičDamjan Kmetič

Mekoni d.o.o.

Leto pro jek ta / Year of project 1992Izvedba / Execution 2000-2001

Izvajalci del / ContractorsSCT, d.d., Primorje, d.d.

Elektroobnova, d.o.o., Kovinar, d.o.o.Klima insta la ci je Ivan Rajterič s.p.

Almont d.o.o., Partes d.o.o., Imko d.d.Mineral d.d., Pohištvo Iskra, d.o.o.

Lesnina inženi ring, d.d.Jakles, d.o.o., Hoja mobi les, d.d.

Umetniško vodstvo in oblikovanje katalogaArt direction and design of catalogue

Edi Berk / KROG

Besedilo / TextMiha Dešman

Miklavž Komelj

Fotografije / PhotographyMiran Kambič

Lektura / EditingMaja Kraigher

Prevod / TranslationAmidas, Ljubljana

Grafična priprava / Graphic pre-pressKROG

Grafika Paradoks

Tisk / Printed byTiskarna Ljubljana

Realizacija / Produced byKROG, Ljubljana

2002