BASTION

LOCATION                koper, slovenia
PROJECT YEAR        2022 
COMPLETION           /
TYPE                         public
CLIENT                      municipality koper
RENDER                    mateja zerjal
TEAM                        igor marasovic, taja fister, nike olenik

VISUAL IDENTITY klun komunikacije              

The bastion from 1554 (whose appearance changed slightly in the 19th century, but was restored in 2010) is the only preserved fortification structure of Koper’s outer walls. At one time, it was a weapons depot, but later became a city viewpoint. For several years, the three galleries have been completely abandoned, waiting for better times and an honourable purpose.

The municipality of Koper decided to renovate and reuse the premises. They will be used partly for touristic purposes, namely for the presentation of wines and oils of coastal origin. Two "tunnels" will therefore be used for the winery, exhibition and presentation area, and one "tunnel" for public toilets, both for tourists and locals.

The requirements for the preservation of cultural heritage limited the capacity to encroach on the walls of the tunnels, and also provided the context for the presentation of underground walls and other elements.

We placed the main entrance in the middle; the middle tunnel thus includes a winery, a tasting room with tables and a shop. The smaller tunnel contains the sanitary facilities, while the middle tunnel features an exhibition tasting room with tables and chairs that can be moved around, depending on the desired use of the space (lectures, tastings for larger groups...). We installed display boards with interactive tablets and TV screens along all three tunnels. We also provided shelves for the presentation of local wines and oils, and boards for displaying museum elements.

The selected materials followed the existing stone walls and the intended use of the premises, i.e. brownish tones of wood and metal.