UNIVERSUM Plečnik: Between Workshop and Myth

Universum Plečnik deals with the themes of public space, the integrity of the collective process of Plečnik's post-World War I developments, the Plečnik School and the translation of the architect's urban approaches into the medium of exhibition. It highlights Plečnik's reconstruction of Ljubljana and the way in which the architect built the city gradually and with limited resources, interpreting the remnants of the past and fusing them into new wholes. Plečnik's Ljubljana is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as an outstanding example of a public space design tailored to the needs of people. The material of Plečnik and his students in the MAO collection is also presented. Most of these designs have never been seen before, and they reveal a rich world of loyalty, rebellion, followership and exploration by generations of students who formed themselves into architects alongside their teacher. Through archival plans, sketches and photographs, the architect's legacy of community spaces is revealed as a complex, holistic vision of a connected world. The book conveys the message that all members of society need to be aware of the importance of quality architecture and public space.

The content and design of the book represent a contemporary reading of the work of Slovenia's greatest architect, Jože Plečnik. Its form is the translation of Plečnik's principles into the modern language of graphic design (shapes, patterns, repetition, layering) and strikes a balance between the old/classical (e.g. central, pre-modernist alignments) and the contemporary (e.g. typographic representation, colours). The book won the Brumen Award for Excellence in Slovenian Design in the Publication category with the international jury stating: "The jury has recognised in the book Universum Plečnik a work of excellence that stands out for its excellence in all areas of typographic design. The book's designers have mastered the interplay of text and images at all typographic scales - from line and paragraph to single and double page - with impressive skill. The grid and formatting of the information responds to the content and, together with the airy, non-rigid layout of the images, draws the reader into a visually engaging experience. The excellent physical design of the book complements the whole, and Universum Plečnik brilliantly demonstrates the full potential of printed books."

Edited by Tomaž Štoka with Miloš Kosec, Natalija Lapajne, and Bogo Zupančič, Universum Plečnik expands on the articulation of Plečnik’s heritage and highlights the lasting relevance of his designs, thereby opening the doors for further exploration of new sources. The book presents essays by members of the editorial board and exhibition designers Ana Kreč, Jure Hrovat, Anja Delbello, and Aljaž Vesel, the latter two contributed also as catalogue designers, as well as a foreword by Špela Spanžel. The book is fully bilingual (in Slovenian and English) and comprises 278 pages.

Editorial Board
Tomaž Štoka (editor-in-chief), Miloš Kosec, Natalija Lapajne, Bogo Zupančič

Texts by
Tomaž Štoka, Miloš Kosec, Bogo Zupančič, Ana Kreč, Jure Hrovat, Anja Delbello, Aljaž Vesel

Graphic Design
AA – Anja Delbello, Aljaž Vesel

Exhibition Design
SVET VMES – Ana Kreč, Jure Hrovat, Marko Kavčič, Amadej Mravlak

Photography
Adam Štěch

Exhibition Layout and Catalogue Photo by
Klemen Ilovar

Published by
Museum of Architecture and Design (MAO), Ljubljana 2023, 292 pp., Slovenian and English