Urban Strategies

Vodmat medical area, Ljubljana

A clinic in greenery.

The subject of the competition was the layout, design and functional guidelines for the newly planned building of the Blood Transfusion Centre of Slovenia, new facilities of the University Medical Centre Ljubljana and the second phase of the University of Ljubljana Medical Faculty, design and functional design of outdoor areas, especially public open areas in front of the entrances to the planned buildings in the narrower competition area, taking into account the functional connections and the proposed arrangements in the wider area.

We proposed the concept of the "Green Clinic", as well as the exclusion of traffic from the narrower and wider competition area. The concept of our solution is based on four values:

  • Calming: traffic, stress when visiting clinics, and noise in the hospital area.

  • Softening: with quality public space, we soften the border between the neighbourhood and the UMC area, and at the street level, the border between traffic areas and public space.

  • Transition: clear and legible space allows easy orientation and transition in the E-W and N-S directions; reducing motor traffic improves traffic for pedestrians, cyclists, and public transport.

  • Regeneration: the facilities are surrounded by greenery, promoting the regeneration of the clinic’s patients, but also the regeneration of degraded and overheated areas of UMC clinics; promoting a public program on the N-S axis is an opportunity to regenerate the “forgotten” Vodmat neighbourhood.

Due to the consistency of the concept, its radical nature and interest to the area, we were awarded the second prize. This was our first, but certainly not our last competition, as it is a great opportunity for concrete urban considerations.

Ljubljana Competition entry, 2nd prize • Client: Blood Transfusion Centre of Slovenia Partners: Kombinat architects, Urbanisti d.o.o. 2020