Plečnik Awards 2025
On Monday, May 19, 2025, in the garden of the Plečnik House, the Jože Plečnik Fund presented the Plečnik Award, the Plečnik Medals, and the Plečnik Fund Scholarship.
The jury for the 2025 Plečnik Awards was composed this year of Ilka Čerpes (president), Saša Begović, Jerneja Fischer Knap, Nika Grabar, and Urška Kranjc.
The 2025 Plečnik Award in the Public Space category was awarded to the project Ankaran Cemetery. The authors of the project are VOID Architecture — Uroš Rustja, Primož Žitnik, Mina Hiršman, Mateo Zonta (architecture) — and Studio AKKA — Ana Kučan, Luka Javornik, Danijel Mohorič (landscape architecture).
In its explanation, the jury stated: “The design of the cemetery directly intervenes in the sloped edge of the forest and connects the experience of the place with a broader perception of the landscape. The architects overcome the elevation difference of the extremely demanding site with ramps that visually link the visitor to the horizon and various forest ambiences. The division of a unified burial space into several parts, in such a way that individual grave fields sink into the surrounding forest, enables an interweaving of forest landscape with burial areas. This subtly activates the potential of the public space while also protecting it, offering users a park-like arrangement that transcends the typical function and spatial limits of a cemetery.”
The Plečnik Medal in the category of large-scale architectural realization was awarded to the Bohinj Kindergarten. The authors of the project are Arrea Architecture — Ana Jerman, Janja Šušnjar (architecture), KAL A — Sofía Romeo Gurrea-Nozaleda, Miguel Sotos Fernández-Zúñiga (architecture), and Studio AKKA — Luka Javornik, Lara Gligić (landscape architecture).
The Plečnik Medal in the category of small-scale architectural realization was awarded to the project Revitalization of Old Glassworks and surrounding urban areas in old town of Ptuj. The authors of the project are ELEMENTARNA — Matevž Zalar, Ambrož Bartol, Dominik Košak, Miha Munda, Rok Staudacher, Samo Kralj (architecture), and Kolektiv Tektonika — Darja Matjašec, Pia Kante, and Katja Mali (landscape architecture).
In its explanation, the jury stated: “The revitalization of the Old Glassworks buildings and surrounding outdoor areas connects the historical and material layers of Ptuj with contemporary public programs aimed at activating the community and revitalizing the old town center. The addressed area includes streets connected to Vraz Square, the courtyard of the Old Glassworks, and a new cultural center for amateur arts with a youth center. The small-scale urban interventions work in an ‘acupuncture-like’ manner, as their rhythm resonates primarily with the larger scale of the city. Well-considered fragments respond to the specificities of individual indoor and outdoor situations, while new spatial connections offer opportunities for a rich experiential journey.”
The Plečnik Medal for the Enrichment of Spatial Culture was awarded to Zaš Brezar for the Landezine platform.
The jury stated: “Landezine is a platform that has evolved from a virtual space for publishing exemplary landscape architecture projects into an international online hub, and through the organization of events, into a physical space for tracking, unveiling, and exploring trends in open space design. Landezine is characterized by continuous growth, rapid responsiveness, sensitivity, and openness to addressing the often uncomfortable questions of the present and future. It serves as a key resource for exploring topics related to landscape architecture and beyond, far surpassing the national scale, with both its content and audience reaching globally significant impact.”
The Plečnik Medal for Professional Publications was awarded to Raimondo Mercadante for his book Between History, Ideologies and Conflicts: Architecture in Slovenia 1968–1991.
The Plečnik Fund Scholarship was awarded to Elvis Jerkič for his master’s thesis The right to the railway: conceptual design for the revitalization of railway buildings in Baška grapa.
We sincerely congratulate all the award recipients!