Randić Turato Architects: Veli Vrh Primary School
Within the framework of the Annual Exhibition of Realizations by Croatian Architects in 2010, which is set to take place at the end of the week in Split, the Croatian Architects’ Association (CAA) will confer their awards for the most successful Croatian architects’ realizations in 2010 both in Croatia and abroad.
The nominated realizations contending for the ‘Bernardo Bernardi’, ‘Drago Galić’ and ‘Viktor Kovačić’ Awards, respectively, were featured here, while all nominated projects will be presented within the next couple of weeks.
We commence the presentations of the most successful 2010 realizations with one of the projects contending for the “VIKTOR KOVAČIĆ” Award, in the 2010 Most Successful Architectural Realization Category:
Veli Vrh Elementary School in Pula, authors Randić – Turato Architects.
Scroll down for further details on the project:
“Veli Vrh” is a Pula suburb with low-density housing dominated by the primary school situated on top of the hill. In February 2008 the school caught fire and was completely burned down, thus creating an unusual void bordering with pine trees in the middle of a typical suburban sprawl. This specific condition of emptiness served as the basis of the design concept.
This new primary school project is the winning entry of the competition released soon after the fire, in August 2008. The brief extended the program of the school with the Kindergarten, swimming pool and the Community Center, recognizing the school as the neighborhood’s focal point.
*click here to download the plan in pdf format
*click here to download sections and elevations in pdf format
Due to the above-mentioned reason, the project divided the program into separate volumes forming a heterogeneous structure, creating an urban fabric in place of a building. The school is dismantled in its basic elements and re-connected in a new complex. Individual parts of the school consist of the following premises: classrooms, offices, a library and a gym. All the premises are conceived as separate buildings, connected with a longitudinal hall covered with a large canopy. The Kindergarten and the Community Center are located on the other side, encircling the site.
The location of the former school that went up in flames is left as a void space. This area is a natural amphitheater located in the center of the site, used as a playground and stage for both public and school events.
Site area: 26.164,5 m2
Built area: 8.535 m2
Competition project: August 2008
Construction project: September 2009
Completion date: September 2010
Authors:
Saša Randić, Idis Turato
Collaborators:
Ana Staničić, Gordan Resan, Gorjana Drašković, Maja Ivanovski, Janko Jelić, Hrvoje Sedlić, Ida Križaj, Darko Kuiš, Ivan Arbanas, Damir Šiljeg, Andrija Čuljak
Photos by:
Domagoj Blažević, Želimir Gržančić and Sandro Lendler
