Letting the peple in

Staglišće is a densely packed neighborhood, characterized by small, unorganized lots and two-story family homes. Amidst this chaotic environment lies a large, vacant lot stretching north to south—untouched by the neighborhood's uncontrolled urbanization and designated as the future site of an elementary school.

This project sees the empty space as an opportunity not only to provide a school but also to compensate for the lack of open space and urban amenities the neighborhood desperately needs.

To achieve this, a wide pedestrian street bisects the school building, creating a dynamic public space. While the school is otherwise closed off and introverted, this central slice opens the building up entirely to the created urban space, offering passersby a glimpse into the activities within. This connection transforms the school into a civic anchor, giving Staglišće a sense of identity and character it previously lacked.

Starting point
Closed box

Step 1
Slicing the volume of the building in half

Step 2
Distancing the two parts to create tense but well defined space

Step 3
Creating a bridge with multifunctional school area above the school square

Step 4
Sinking the ground floor half the height into the ground, forming a long ramp to the entrance

Step 5
Designing a series of roof angles to emphasize the strong presence of the long ramp leading to the building's core.

Looking at the wider picture

For this project an experimental method of designing a building through city planing was explored. The initial idea of placing the city space in the middle of the building, insted of the building in the city space was a bold, but in the end well functioning start of the project.