Beaver center

Project

303338

Status

Submitted

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NEW EUROPEAN BAUHAUS AWARDS: existing completed examples

Project title

Beaver center

Full project title

Description

Beaver Center is an ecological-educational-tourist station for observation and presentation of nature along Sotla river. It is built on the edge of the parched lake depression and partly levitates over the slope. This wooden-container-pavilion, with community spaces and with a central viewing staircase, has an info-point with a snack bar, a study, a gallery and a lecture hall. Construction is wooden. Larch facade interprets vernacular architecture and relates to cultural and natural environment.

What was the geographical scope of your project?

Does your project address mainly urban or rural issues?

Does your project refer to a physical transformation of the built environment or other types of transformations?

Has your project benefited from EU programmes or funds?

Which or fund(s)? Provide the name of the programme(s)/fund(s), the strand/action line as relevant and the year.

Has your project won an EU prize?

Your project is fully completed?

When was your project implemented?

How did you hear about the New European Bauhaus Prizes ?

On whose behalf are you submitting the application?

Please provide a summary of your project

The Beaver Center (Nature Conservation Center Sotla) is itended for researching of nature along the Sotla river by scientists for presentation to eco-tourist nomads.
It is located next to the Slovenian-Croatian border, along dried-out Vonarsko or Sotelsko lake, which became a unique nature reserve. Architecture follows the natural topography that falls from the road towards the dry lake depression and active river canal. The Eastern longitudinal façade leans against the terraced entrance platform so the building partly levitates over the slope.
The functional concept is based on the theme of `eco-educational research and tourist station`, with transitional platforms with a central viewing staircase – a tower and a circular viewing platform on the roof. One enters four separate program sections from the open circular corridor: info-point and café terrace, office with balcony, a lecture hall with cabinet and terrace, thematic exhibition center. Visitor is thus offered educational content and meditative or dynamic, abstract spatial experience. Openings and glazing are sequencing the views from open and closed spaces. Terraces are deeper to the south due to shading.
Construction above foundations is wooden. Layered but compact wooden architecture with a facade textured with rhythms and raster, interprets vernacular architecture and relates to the cultural and natural landscape.
On the other hand, this `wooden-container-pavilion` is placed in the landscape according to the principle of `extended-screen-barrier`, which also incorporates the idea of `objective observation of Nature`.
The project addresses the challenge of conserving and restoring biotic diversity for future generations and raising awareness of the impact nature has on the well-being of man, while connecting local and regional lay public and scientific community for gatherings, workshops, exhibitions - all to reconnect with nature, regarding sustainability, natural wooden aesthetics and citizen engagement. 

Please indicate the main themes of your project with 5 key words

Please give information about the key objectives of your project in terms of sustainability (including circularity) and how these have been met.
Please highlight how the project can be exemplary in this context

The Beaver Center was built to establish a community space and micro-eco-tourist station, connecting local and regional lay public and scientific community for gatherings, workshops, exhibitions - all to research and promote different sustainability and circularity concepts. The concept and realization lead to an architectural example regarding the possibilities of using renewable resources, such as wood and renewable energy in public structures and buildings, which can lead to broader similar implementation in public and private domain. It was built using optimal amount of sustainable materials (wooden construction and insulation), by the local contractor - via public tender. The placement of the building was negotiated in coordination with the local authority for preservation of nature, placing the building in natural environment with minimal impact, which can be viewed and demonstrated on the site. The program and functionality of the building is conceived to host various programs regarding sustainability, circularity, through eco-touristic and educational programs.

Please give information about the key objectives of your project in terms of aesthetics and quality of experience beyond functionality and how these have been met.
Please highlight how the project can be exemplary in this context

Architectural concept of the Beaver Center is designed as a wooden-container with transitional platforms and with central viewing staircase – tower and circular viewing platform on the roof. It is also a kind of wooden container-pavilion. Thus the architectural aesthetics originates from the tradition of modernist concepts of modularity, prefabrication, and functionalism and is upgraded with ecological principles, using modern wooden systems (construction, insulation, facade). Thus, a connection to modernity and traditionalism (vernacular structures in rural areas) is achieved.
The aim is to optimize architectural design with the principles of modernism-functionalism and reference to vernacular architecture to achieve a subtle placement of the building in the natural-rural environment.
Architecture is placed in landscape according to principle of extended screen-barrier, within which levels, circular connections, and functional spaces are arranged in independent-program cells which are connected by a common semi-exterior viewing-staircase-tower. Openings and glazing sequence the views from open and closed spaces. Visitor is thus offered educational content and meditative or dynamic, abstract spatial experience. Buildings` exterior and interior are also made of wood and are tactile and evoke visitors` senses so the user experience is multi-sensory.
Construction above foundations is wooden. Layered but compact architectural image with wooden platforms and wooden façade, which is textured with rhythms and raster, interprets vernacular architecture and relates to cultural and natural landscape.
Architecture is an examplary case of quality contemporary architecture that is subtly but efficiently placed in a natural environment.

Please give information about the key objectives of your project in terms of inclusion (equal opportunities, public participation, citizen engagement, co-design, universal design, accessibility, affordability, etc.) and how these have been met.
Please highlight how the project can be exemplary in this context

The Beaver center project is engaging and involving general public, eco-tourists and scientific community. It connects local and regional lay public and scientific community for gatherings, workshops, exhibitions. Equal opportunities are provided for the citizens` presentations of different programs or workshops at the public platform (public institute).
The architectural design respects the universal design and universal accessibility, by detailing of communications, transition-openings, elevator. Bicycle parking is provided at the entrance. The entrance is covered by a publicly accessible public-floor niche-roof to give contemporary shelter from natural elements to the bikers and hikers. In this sense the project is also an example, similar to the concept of mountain cottage or shelter, but placed in the flat-river-area.

Please explain how these three dimensions have been combined in your project.
Please highlight how this approach can be exemplary

The three dimensions: terms of inclusion, aesthetics and quality of experience and
sustainability (including circularity) were the primary objectives of the project Beaver Center. The project`s concept was to build a structure in the protected natural environment that is specific as it is located between two towns, near the country border. Now the project connects the two rural-touristic and several border locations in eco-tourist and culturally-social concept, by minimal impact to the natural habitat, using contemporary eco-architecture to engage and attract visitors and involve public in social an educational activity.

Please give information on the results/impacts achieved by your project in relation to the category you apply for

The Beaver center has been opened since 17.09.2022. Since then, it has hosted permanent scientific and educational exhibition thematizing the natural environment of Sotla river and the wild life in the surroundings (especially the beaver). Several temporary exhibitions have been featured in the interior and exterior of the center (ecology, sustainable buildings, wooden architecture). The café has local visitors and visitors from abroad. It is very popular for the hikers and bicyclists. There are several ongoing workshops, including kid`s workshops.

Please explain how citizens and civil society were involved in the in the design and/or implementation of the project.
Please also explain the benefits that derived from their involvement.

The Beaver center has been offering the exhibition space and space for civil society since its inception. The permanent scientific and educational exhibition thematizing the natural environment of Sotla river and the wild life in the surroundings (especially the beaver) has been designed by involvement of the
local authority for the protection of nature (institute for the protection of the nature). The results are already visible but are conceived also as a long-term goal.

Please explain what kind of global challenges the project addressed by providing local solutions

The project addresses the global challenge of conserving and restoring biotic diversity for future generations and raising awareness of the impact nature has on the well-being of man. In order to reach this objective, the project will implement activities addressing: the lack of joint harmonised cross-border measures for the improvement of target species in poor condition; the lack of intersectoral collaboration in the introduction of modern, sustainable methods of natural resource management; poor awareness of the relevance of nature conservation and benefits that conserved nature has for the long-term quality of life and for preventing natural risks in an area.

Please highlight the innovative character of the project as compared to mainstream practices in the field of the project.

Innovative character of the project is the special attention regarding the three dimensions: terms of inclusion, aesthetics and quality of experience and sustainability (including circularity) that were the primary objectives of the project Beaver Center.

Please explain to the potential of transferring the projects’ results or learnings to other interested parties and contexts.
Please provide clear documentation, communication of methodology and principles in this context.

The project was made in international collaboration and realized through public tender for the contractor – available online.

http://www.si-hr.eu/si2/map-2/vezi-narave/

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