Novi Tabor Residential Development in Ljubljana
The Novi Tabor residential development, located between Metelkova, Kotnikova and Slomškova streets in Ljubljana, was designed in the late 1980s, with construction taking place during the first half of the 1990s. The design originated from a 1988 competition (Architectural design competition for conceptual proposals for residential buildings in the CO 5/3 “Zdravstveni dom” area in Ljubljana), in which the teams led by Janez Koželj and Jurij Kobe were awarded equal first prizes. At the jury’s suggestion, the two proposals were combined into a single urban composition, within which individual buildings were designed by different architects.
The design moves away from the modernist model of freestanding residential blocks and reintroduces the structure of the traditional urban block. The development is organised around two landscaped courtyards connected by a semi-public internal pedestrian street, while the buildings facing the surrounding streets establish a clearly defined urban edge.
Despite their shared compositional principles, the individual parts of the development differ in their architectural expression. Emphasised corners, cornices, pergolas and pitched roofs refer to more traditional elements of urban architecture. Koželj’s section is characterised primarily by the use of brick, establishing a dialogue with the nearby Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the former city power station, while glass and metal predominate in Kobe’s section.
Particular attention is also given to the relationship between the dwelling and outdoor space. Different apartment types, including larger and duplex units, open onto loggias, balconies, terraces and winter gardens. Novi Tabor thus brings together different architectural approaches and, at both the scale of the neighbourhood and the individual dwelling, explores the transitions between urban, communal and private space.
