VI, 2005/2

Editorial

The leading theme of the pending issue is renewal: from the detail, entirety, organisation, preservation, to issues of principles and practise.

The issue begins with prof. Fister's review of the Slovene contribution to the large project Re Urban Mobil, while an “ulterior” view of architecture is also interesting: by describing the development of architectural heritage protection Katarina Višnar discloses, albeit with a less important detail (the role of the public in professional work), a view on renewal. Hereby she states the leading role of art history, not the profession as such, but the individuals that grasped the idea first. This role belongs by common sense to architects, who can grasp the entirety of the whole issue, from conceptualisation in space, construction in time to the detail. Architecture is not a building, neither the construction nor the built environment: it is the framework of life, activity and ideas of a society in space and time. History, art history, ethnology, archaeology and other professions are important segments, yet only segments that cannot enlighten upon the whole issue. This is the reason for problems stemming from single-minded approaches: too narrow stipulations of valid laws and implementation. Herewith I'm not implying principles, rather the implementation. Until the day protection institutions have only rights and no duties, we will be witness to divides in the multi-disciplinary field of preserving cultural heritage. I am of course speaking about the field of architecture. Architecture isn't the only clever science; it is nevertheless the widest and affects the most area: the space of nature since prehistoric times till the future.

It is not by chance that there is no architect in Slovene politics: architecture is not talking about architecture; it is a thought, work, reality since yesterday, till today and above all for tomorrow.

I will say this for the hundredth time: we, architects, are lucky people. We can learn from all architecture of yesteryear. All bad architectures have fallen long ago. With new technologies architectures will remain alive for quite some time amongst other, also bad ones.

A wise person is aware of this. Unfortunately all professionals don't follow suit, not all architects. The later are fortunate to have no understanding.

But short-sightedness carries a vengeance. Above all in architecture...

In the introductory article Architecture and urban structure in planning the urbanisation process, Peter Fister, shows his work in the international field, where he researches possibilities and obstacles for re-urbanisation of wider urban cores, development instruments, stimuli and strategies for adequate long-term land use of these areas, with simultaneous respect for conditions of demographic change. The Faculty of architecture managed and executed the special work package dealing with architecture and urbanistic planning within the framework of four European case study cities: Bologna, Leipzig, Leon, and Ljubljana.

Katarina Višnar presents an article titled The emergence and significance of the non-governmental sector in heritage protection in Slovenia. She claims that agents of civil society have to be included in the processes and activities of protection activities, especially comprehensive protection of built and spatial heritage.

Črtomir Mihelj wonders Where? First he states that protection, renewal and maintenance of cultural heritage are important and responsible tasks. In all particular cases they have to be tackled equally by all involved experts from different fields, thus preventing problems, which we are presently witnessing: Kolizej, Cukrarna, Plečnik's stadium, Krakovo etc. Furthermore, the education of architects- conservationists is a task that demands utmost care, if we want quality in protection, renewal and maintenance of monuments.

Domen Zupančič deals with systems within the framework of vernacular architecture: The dynamics of renewal and development potentials of the landscape. He narrates the general attitude towards cultural heritage, which is amongst the people rather sentimental but also critical to physical development. Demolition of buildings, especially economic outhouses (hayracks, barns, haylofts) and partially residential buildings (perpetrated by the institution of substitute buildings) provokes exceptionally negative responses amongst the public. He suggests certain programme contents, beginning with specialised ethnological libraries (not museums) to vernacular self-emergent villages or their parts, which offer more varied tourist offer. Tourism, seen as research tourism with elements of cultural diversity and integration in the natural landscape, assures success.

In his article Visions and practise in renewal of ecclesiastic architecture, Leon Debevec initiates a polemic about the role of the architect and church in renewal of ecclesiastic buildings.

Our guests from the University of Maribor, Metka Sitar, Dean Korošak and Kristijan Krajnc, deal with renewal of the relatively new: social housing of the last decades. In their article Sustainable aspects of renewal of multi-apartment buildings they argue for improvement of living standards, since from the functional, architectural, urbanistic and engineering aspects they don't fit the present needs of residents. Hereby they also emphasise European guidelines that promote efficient energy consumption as one of the basic elements of quality and are aligned to the leading strategic principles of sustainable residential environments.

In the field of landscape architecture greening of buildings is presented by Tanja Simonič and Marko Dobrilovič in the article The role of green roofs and facades in building refurbishment, where they argue that green roofs and facades can be parts of the system of open green spaces in cities. As such they play important roles, especially the ecological, environmental, morphological, sociological and economic ones. Green roofs can significantly contribute to energy savings in buildings, since they affect lesser losses of heat, and above all by diminishing temperature fluctuation on the roof surface improve the buildings energy efficiency, and thus also improve the roof material's lifespan. The article is rounded up with a selection of materials.

In the article The architecture of Hans Gangoly, Grigor Doytchinov, our colleague from Graz, presents the work of an architect whose work also influenced the architectural image of city, above all within the initiative EU City of Culture. Its most visible and simultaneously most important feature is the assembly of new and old, as put by G. Doytchinov: the sensitive with the sensible.

Specially stimulating and present is the representation of Islamic architecture in Europe in the article Islamic religious buildings in Europe: the debate between tradition and context, a theme dealt by architect and academic painter Beatriz Tomšič Čerkez, an expatriate Slovene lady from Argentina, whose main field of interest is education. In the article she presents a short, simplified overview of the design of mosques in European cities with emphasis on their linkages to their immediate surroundings, while respecting the most important elements of Islamic architecture. Thus the most important element is use of geometrical, floral, animal and calligraphic patterns, in which concepts, such as unity, rhythm and repetition, are most emphasised. The use of play of light, shadows and colour is also original. In the Islamic world architecture always adapted to the design features of the place where it was built.

Igor Kalčič presents Renewal of a shepherd settlement in the Triglav National Park The Kuhinja Mountain in the Krn Range. The task was to establish new contents in the refurbished buildings. Only a part of the settlement was refurbished to provide the offer of tourist apartments, the rest was renewed for the primary function. The shepherd's settlement thus begins a new, modern life, which is in harmony with the primary function and offers the contemporary tourist, bored of stereotype classical tourist offer, a new form and way for experiencing active vacations.

Jože Kušar and Domen Kušar present Refurbishment of the hayloft "Vorenčeve svisli" on the Uskovnica Mountain. The hayloft's structure probably stems from ancient heritage, probably that of proto-Venetian craftsmen, who had exquisite knowledge about merging natural quality of pine trunks and handicraft into surprising unity and perfection of simple buildings for storing hay.

An example of renewal, which proves the comprehensive complexity of systematic issues, is presented by Živa Deu in the article Implementation of comprehensive protection. Concerning protection of the built heritage as an important, yet severely endangered link in our cultural heritage, Slovenia has successfully integrated international stipulations, recommendations and obligations in our normative and criteria documents adopted on the national level.

The field of technical mechanics and structural solutions is covered by Srečko Vratuša, Valter Pikel and Roko Žarnič with their article Example of renewal and revitalisation of a residential-economic building. They present historical data about an economic building in Borovnica as well as conservation guidelines for renewal, which were provided before the building's renewal itself.

The authors of this issue are scientists and experts from two countries, three universities and four faculties.

The next issue of AR Architecture Research will again be a regular one, bringing a review or research done at the Faculty of architecture. The second issue, 2005/2 will be a thematic one, the theme being Exceptional tutorial work. Here we mean truly all studio work: even workshops were published in one of the former volumes. I am expecting massive response. There is enough time to prepare. I can guarantee that all articles showing good tutorial work and prepared to the required quality, not only at the Faculty, will be published, if submitted according to the written instructions. This issue will prove the quality of the faculty, its staff and teaching methods, and will be a special challenge for students, from first year students to PhD candidates.

To conclude, I wish you pleasant reading.

The editor