On intermediate zones and school spaces with the studio Svet vmes – Podcast Odprto #33

In this episode, we host Ana Kreč and Jure Hrovat, internationally renowned and practicing architects, as well as founders of the architectural studio Svet vmes. Svet vmes was established in 2010 in Ljubljana as an informal architectural collective with the aim of questioning and emphasizing the design, social, and pedagogical potential of intermediate spaces in educational institutions through their spatial interventions.

Jure Hrovat in Ana Kreč, svet vmes, Photographer: Primož Korošec

Through long-term observation and gradual interventions, the studio examines existing, neglected, decaying, interior and exterior intermediate spaces, transforming them into places of activity, comfort, interaction, negotiation, excitement, and retreat. In doing so, they highlight the beauty and importance of intermediate, often ambiguous zones in school architecture.

Agora, Conceptual design for the entrance space of the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana (FDV UL), 2023; Visualization: svet vmes.

Although the collective has grown into an architectural studio after more than a decade of work and expanded its field to include other public buildings and spaces, it has remained true to its original mission. The intermediate zone remains at the core of their architectural approach—whether in design or in mediating between the many stakeholders involved in the creation of public spaces.

Cultural Center and Library Šenčur, 1st prize in the architectural competition, 2024; Visualization: svet vmes.

16-classroom Kindergarten Kočevje – Čebelica unit, 2022, Kočevje, svet vmes; Photograph: Ana Skobe (awards: OHS Award 2023 in the Public Buildings category, Plečnik Medal 2023, Golden Pencil 2023).

In the podcast, we discussed the interest in intermediate, forgotten spaces, the model for exploring them, and their transformation into higher-quality spaces with diverse functions. The guests explained how they approach projects of various scales and the challenges they encounter, especially within the framework of Slovenian legislation and the understanding of contemporary educational spaces. In the end, we also touched on the issue of the disappearance of public space in the context of intermediate spaces, questioning how investor-driven architecture increasingly dictates the relationships between spaces in cities and beyond.

Museum shop at MAO, Museum of Architecture and Design, Ljubljana, svet vmes, 2021; Photographer: Matevž Paternoster

This episode of the Odprto podcast was prepared by Eva Eržen and Boštjan Bugarič.

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The Odprto podcast in 2024 is co-financed by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning.