The people of Novo mesto have dubbed it ‘Legoland’
On a long-abandoned stretch of land, used as a lorry park and an occasional circus site, we created an extension of the city centre, resurrecting this district on the edge of the town centre with a number of lively elements.
The area, which had been abandoned and neglected, is now cultivated and freshly laid out, and constitutes an extension of the city centre rather than competition to it.
The Portoval Centre had already been part of plans for the area, whose main section is made up of a sports park. With the help of this project, the sports park should be developed and given a higher-quality and visually more pleasing appearance over the next few years.
A new bridge (cycleway) was also constructed to provide a link to the centre, below which we constructed two sewage pipes connected to the waste treatment plant. We have thus endowed the town with a new charm and provided its residents with a new place to stroll.
‘The idea of public space accompanying a commercial area was the main motivation for this architectural project.’ (Prof. Janez Koželj)
This is a building with a variety of uses and activities, with the most important section being the five-screen multiplex cinema. In addition to this, the Portoval Centre also offers various entertainment facilities, a large foodstore, a yellow retail building and a blue office building.
In addition to retail and commercial activities, Portoval also provides the people of Novo mesto with a large public space for gathering and socialising. In the middle of the complex is a wood-decked square which we expect to become an area where people will enjoy lingering throughout the year.
Of the 24,000 square metres of space, some 15,000 are below ground.
The architects abided strictly by the instructions issued by the Office for the Protection of Cultural and Natural Heritage. One important criterion was that the view of the Kapitelj, which crowns the town of Novo mesto, should remain unbroken. A large part of the complex was therefore moved below ground, where the car park and part of the cinema complex are located.
Over this uniform base, smaller transparent pavilions rise through the light structure. These are colourful, glow at night and constitute a beacon for this formerly dark area of the town. These pavilions permit unfettered views over the countryside – wherever you are in the area, views open up on all sides towards the town and the Krka river.
Commencement of project: March 2002
First opening: September 2003
Net surface area of building: 24,000 m2
Value of project: EUR 14.5 million + VAT
Architects: Prof. Janez Koželj and Jože Jaki