Vurnik Days 2025
We invite you to join the celebration of this year’s Vurnik Days, taking place between 22 May and 11 November in Radovljica, Ljubljana, and Maribor. Vurnik Days – marking the birthday of architect Ivan Vurnik on 1 June – have been organized by the Centre for Architecture Slovenia since 2014. Below, we highlight some of the events, while the full programme can be found here.
Ivan Vurnik (1884–1971) was a prominent Slovenian architect, urban planner, professor, innovator – an artist. He studied in Vienna, where he graduated from the Technical University under the influence of architect Otto Wagner. Alongside Jože Plečnik and Maks Fabiani, he is considered one of the pioneers of Slovenian architecture and a key proponent of developing a national architectural identity. Ivan Vurnik and his wife, Helena Kottler Vurnik (1882–1962), were the initiators of the national style in architecture and art in Slovenia during the 1920s. The architecture of the Zadružna gospodarska banka (Cooperative Commercial Bank) is the finest example of their joint creative work. It reflects contemporary styles such as expressionism and cubism in Central Europe, while strongly incorporating national motifs.
On Thursday, 18 September 2025, between 17.00 and 19.00, an architectural walk titled Vurnik Trail 2025: From Archaeology to Architecture – Reading the Historical Layers of the City and Integrating Them into Contemporary Architecture will take place in Ljubljana. This year’s Vurnik Trail will be led by architect, urban planner, and professor Aleksander Ostan. The walk will begin at Trg francoske revolucije (French Revolution Square) and end at Trg republike (Republic Square). Participants will take a closer look at selected works by architects Jože Plečnik and Edvard Ravnikar, focusing on how they drew from the city’s historical layers and how their urban visions engaged in a creative dialogue across generations.
The guided tour fee is 15 EUR, or 10 EUR for students.
On Saturday, 18 October 2025, at 10:30, a professional cycling tour of workers’ housing colonies in Maribor will take place. The meeting point is at the Maribor Art Gallery, Strossmayerjeva Street 6. During the tour, participants will explore the historical context of the workers’ settlements, their architectural and spatial characteristics, everyday life in the colonies, and their transformation over time. The discussion will also touch on the heritage value and current condition of these residential areas.
A week later, on Saturday, 25 October 2025, at 11:00, another guided tour will take place, this time focusing specifically on the Vurnik Workers’ Colony in Maribor. Participants will have a unique opportunity to enter one of the residential units, gaining insights into the development and transformation of the settlement, quality of living, and the legacy of workers’ housing. The tour is open to the general public and aims to engage a wide audience with an interest in architecture, heritage, and urban history.
The event is organized in collaboration with the Maribor Art Gallery.
On Tuesday, 11 November 2025, at 19.00, presentation of The Vurnik Project will take place in Radovljica, marking the publication of a new book designed by Klemen Rodman. Originally developed in the 1990s, The Vurnik Project made a key contribution to raising awareness of architect Ivan Vurnik and represents Rodman’s most extensive work in the field of architecture. The project offers the first in-depth study and analysis of Vurnik’s archive, life, and architectural legacy. Despite being recognized today—alongside Plečnik and Fabiani—as one of the three pioneers of modern Slovenian architecture, Vurnik had not previously been the subject of a comprehensive monographic publication. What began as a modest effort to study Vurnik’s archive soon evolved into a project of national importance, achieving significant recognition abroad as well. In 1995, architect Renato Repše, photographer Miran Kambič, and designer Klemen Rodman were awarded the Plečnik Medal for their work on the project. The project was supported and co-created by several institutions, including: the Radovljica Society of Architects, the Municipality of Radovljica, the Architectural Museum Ljubljana (AML), DESSA Gallery, the Ministry of Culture, the Archdiocesan Ordinariate, the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SAZU), and the Ministry of the Environment.
The book presentation will feature Petra Rodman, creative director of Bela design, and photographer Miran Kambič.
The entire programme is available here.