AR 2010/1
AR 2010 / 1
Editorial 
Hello, Readers. This time around the honour of writing the editorial is mine. I usually 
make too many comments, and Prof. Juvanec challenged me to write instead of 
speak. He was right. Now, I politely ask for your reading time and consideration.
This	 year's	 first	 number	 of	 the	 magazine	 is	 out.	 It	 contains	 several	 articles	 quite 	
different in terms of content, and each of them interesting in its area of interest, 
as well as reports on the work of the researchers at our faculty. What the texts 
h a v e 	 i n 	 c o m m o n 	 a r e 	 r e fl e c t i o n s 	 a n d 	 i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s 	 p e r t a i n i n g 	 t o 	 r e c i p r o c a l 	 c a u s a l	
consequences	between	human	and	other	factors.
The	 first	 item	 is	 an	 article	 by	 Academy	 member	Andrej Kranjc entitled THE KARST 
REGION – NATIONAL AND WORLD HERITAGE in which the author presents 
the regional characteristics of the Karst/Kras, with particular emphasis on its historical 
s i g n i fi c a n c e , 	 g i v e n 	 t h a t 	 t w o 	 i n t e r n a t i o n a l l y 	 e s t a b l i s h e d 	 t e r m s 	 o r i g i n a t e 	 f r o m 	 i t : 	 k a r s t	
as a universal notion, and 'doline' for a sinkhole. Karst as a 'landscape' is not meant 
as the earth's surface, but also what is underneath, what we call the karst underworld. 
This is what essentially differentiates it from an 'ordinary' landscape, where we do not 
think about what is hidden under the surface. When discussing the Karst, we sooner 
o r 	 l a t e r 	 c o m e 	 t o 	 t h o u g h t s 	 o f 	 w a t e r , 	 w h i c h 	 s u b s t a n t i a l l y 	 i n fl u e n c e s 	 t h e 	 f o r m 	 o f 	 t h e 	 k a r s t	
landscape above and under the surface. The author calls attention to the current threats 
t o 	 t h e 	 Š k o c j a n 	 C a v e s , 	 t h e 	 K a r s t / K r a s 	 R e g i o n 	 a n d 	 t h e 	 K a r s t / K r a s 	 a q u i f e r 	 f r o m 	 i n c r e a s e d	
pollution as much as all kinds of construction and alterations which do not adhere to 
the principles of sustainable development or the spirit of the UNESCO World Heritage 
Convention. The author warns that  deletion from the UNESCO world natural heritage 
list is irrevocable. Collaboration among professions, responsable services and others is 
necessary, as the issues are neither abstract nor projected into remote future
Kaja Pogačar and Metka Sitar in their article TYPOLOGY OF CROSS-BORDER 
URBAN AREAS write about cross-border cooperation in spatial design and about the 
f o r m a t i o n 	 o f 	 u r b a n 	 h u b s . 	 T h e 	 a r t i c l e 	 p r o v i d e s 	 a n 	 o v e r v i e w 	 o f 	 s p e c i fi c 	 u r b a n 	 f o r m a t i o n s	
through the presentation of selected cases of cross-border regions and, in addition, aims 
to open some new issues with regard to the context of Slovenian border regions. On 
the basis of their morphological, economic, and social characteristics, a range of urban 
types, such as cross-border agglomerations, urban exclaves, bi-national border cities etc. 
w i l l 	 b e 	 i d e n t i fi e d 	 a n d 	 a n a l y s e d 	 f r o m 	 v a r i o u s 	 a s p e c t s 	 o f 	 s p a t i a l 	 d e v e l o p m e n t . 	 	 A l t h o u g h	
there has recently been a remarkable upsurge of activities and interests in the regions 
and areas along the borders regarding the formation of border regions and cross-border 
processes,	 they	 usually	 remain	 quite	 rigidly	 within	 specialised	 disciplinary	 fields,	 i.e. 	
e c o n o m y , 	 g e o g r a p h y , 	 a n d 	 s o c i o l o g y . 	 T h e 	 a u t h o r s ' 	 fi n d i n g s 	 m a k e 	 s e n s e , 	 a s 	 t h e 	 E U 	 c a m e	
into being because of shared economic and political ideas. Only when these links are 
well strengthened may other movements occur. In the meantime, we architects will 
increasingly reach for new smart materials.
In their contribution SMART MATERIALS AND THEIR APPLICATION IN 
ARCHITECTURE, our colleagues Ljudmila Koprivec and Martina Zbašnik-
Senegačnik, present smart materials. These are new materials which will change the 
structure of building claddings and their operation in a revolutionary way. Using prime 
examples, they well underpinned their reasoning. The theme is fresh and promising. 
The fact that our colleague Koprivec carries out practical work in the development 
d e p a r t m e n t 	 o f 	 t h e 	 T r i m o 	 p l a n t 	 i s 	 o f 	 s o m e 	 s i g n i fi c a n c e . 	 S u c h 	 d e p a r t m e n t s 	 a r e 	 c u r r e n t l y	
true centres of excellence, where ideas and projects are being generated. For those who 
do not know, at the end of the past year our colleague received an award for a most 
original and innovative idea for a woven façade. Congratulations! The gist of the 
architectural thought evidently remains unchanged: it is people who conceive and form. 
And my contribution is about how a settlement is 'woven' in the article VIDOVIČI 
AND THE CULTURE OF SPACE DESIGN. The text is predicated on excellent 
collaboration and the implementation of team work alongside the interstate agreement 
between	 the	 Republic	 of	 Slovenia	 and	 the	 Republic	 of	 Croatia.	 V idoviči	 is	 a	 settlement 	
a b o v e 	 M a r t i n š č i c a 	 o n 	 t h e 	 i s l a n d 	 o f 	 C r e s . 	 T h e 	 s e t t l e m e n t 	 i s 	 a 	 g o o d 	 e x a m p l e 	 o f 	 a	
coordinated combination of different morphological units. The residential section 
gradually gives way to agricultural plots enclosed by walls. Dry-stone enclosures 
formed by merged plots stand out in this area and include simple farm outbuildings. 
Spatial	 and	 architectural	 qualities	 are	 embraced	 in	 the	 overall	 integration	 of	 the 	
structures, in terms of functionality and the uniformity of materials such as stone 
a n d 	 w o o d . 	 I n 	 t e r m s 	 o f 	 t h e 	 o r g a n i s a t i o n 	 o f 	 t h e 	 e n t i r e 	 s e t t l e m e n t , 	 V i d o v i č i 	 i s 	 a 	 g o o d	
example of an overall division and design of space: from the view of the bay to the 
typological division of structures, to the well-considered exploitation of the corridor 
n e t w o r k 	 b e t w e e n 	 e n c l o s u r e s , 	 V i d o v i č i 	 r e p r e s e n t s 	 a 	 g o o d 	 e x a m p l e 	 o f 	 c o m p r e h e n s i v e	
segmentation and spatial design also from the viewpoint of anthropology. Perhaps 
some of you will head for the seaside to see the place. I warmly recommend it.
From the realm of stone and wood of the preceding text, the contribution of Lara 
Slivnik entitled BUILDINGS WITH IRON AND STEEL STRUCTURES IN 
SLOVENIA takes us to a comprehensive review of buildings with iron and steel 
structures which have been built in Slovenia. There is a detailed presentation of the 
m o r e 	 i m p o r t a n t 	 i r o n 	 s t r u c t u r e s 	 i n 	 S l o v e n i a : 	 t h e 	 fi r s t 	 c a s t - i r o n 	 b r i d g e 	 i n 	 L j u b l j a n a ,	
skeleton structures of industrial shops, iron structures of the Gorenjsko railways; 
and steel structures: the pavilion at the Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre, 
T ivoli	 Hall,	 Narta	 Studio,	 several	 structures	 designed	 by	 architect	 Milan	 Mihelič, 	
the winter swimming-pool in Tivoli Park, a pavilion at Laško. I am glad the text is 
n o t 	 c o n fi n e d 	 t o 	 a n 	 o u t l i n e , 	 b u t 	 m e a n i n g f u l l y 	 s u m m a r i s e s 	 t h e 	 e s s e n c e 	 o f 	 t h e 	 l a c k 	 o f	
s u c h 	 b u i l d i n g s 	 i n 	 S l o v e n i a . 	 S t e e l 	 s t r u c t u r e s 	 a r e 	 d e m a n d i n g 	 t o 	 b u i l d 	 a s 	 t h e y 	 r e q u i r e	
considerable design knowledge and precision in implementation. A well conceived 
computer model of space can save us a lot of work. Besides it is also important 
thatthere is excellent collaboration between the architect and a statics engineer.
A basis for a good structure, complying with the designer's starting points and meeting 
the carrying capacity needs, is a good perception of space. This is the area discussed 
by our young colleague Domen Kušar. In his contribution OSCILLATING 
CONCEPTIONS OF SPACE OF ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS the author 
presents modes of testing and gauging these conceptions. He utilises the so-called 
mental rotation test (MRT), which is meaningful in terms of methodology, and yields 
c o m p a r a b l e 	 r e s u l t s . 	 S o 	 f a r , 	 t h e 	 r e s u l t s 	 h a v e 	 c o n fi r m e d 	 t h e 	 a l r e a d y 	 k n o w n 	 a n d 	 p r o v e n	
differences between the sexes. Some 1,554 students of both sexes participated in the 
research. The results of the introductory tests from 1999 to 2008 showed very minor 
fluctuations	 in	 the	 level	 of	 spatial	 conception.	 But	 the	 results	 achieved	 in	 the	 autumn 	
of 2009 exhibited a substantially worse conception of space, which was statistically 
characteristic of the male population only. The author  speculates on some possible 
reasons. He concludes by stating that further investigation will be needed to learn 
whether this is merely a temporary deviation.
A 	 s u f fi c i e n t 	 c o n c e p t i o n 	 o f 	 s p a c e 	 i s 	 t h e 	 t o p i c 	 o f 	 t h e 	 c o n t r i b u t i o n 	 f r o m 	 o u r	
colleague Janusz Rębielak from Poland. It bears the title STRUCTURAL 
SYSTEMS FOR MODERN ROOF COVERS. Emphasis is placed on crystal 
space structures with large spans. The author presents the tetrahedron as the most 
suitable form for composing into various integrated wholes. In oval or circular 
structures, crystal space structures are satisfactorily stiff and stable. The author 
fi n d s 	 t h a t 	 t h e 	 c o m p o n i b i l i t y 	 o f 	 t h e s e 	 s p a c e 	 s t r u c t u r e s 	 i s 	 a l s o 	 e c o n o m i c a l l y 	 v i a b l e .	
A l s o , 	 e l e g a n t l y 	 r e a l i s e d 	 s p a c e 	 s t r u c t u r e s 	 p o s s e s s 	 a n 	 a e s t h e t i c 	 q u a l i t y , 	 w h i c h 	 m a y	
be another spur for wider use in contemporary architecture. This contribution, too, 
cannot ignore the fact that an architect’s concept of space can be implemented only 
through good collaboration with a statics engineer.
Alongside	 the	 articles,	the	 first	number	 also	 allocates	space	 for	 our	 colleagues'	reports 	
on	 their	 investigations	 and	 involvement	 in	 research	 projects.	 After	 leafing	 through 	
these reports, I may summarise my experience by saying that the colleagues are active 
and diligent. I wish to highlight the resonating work of Prof. Juvanec, who with his 
conscientious, and at times Sisyphus-like recording of vernacular architecture, enables 
people to uncover their own pearls. While we are under threat of having the Škocjan 
Caves deleted from the UNESCO world natural heritage list, our Croatian neighbours 
will have their Starogradsko polje entered on the list. Reviewing the application 
documentation,	 it	 becomes	 evident	 that	 among	 five	reliable	 documents,	 two	 originate 	
from our colleague. These are documentation for Trim, on the island of Hvar,  and the 
web site Stoneshelter.org. It is my honour to collaborate with the Professor. Colleagues 
from across the border will express their thanks in the near future as the sites were 
entered on the UNESCO list just one year ago. 
Time will show the course of future research. With its clear orientation toward the 
g l o r i fi c a t i o n 	 o f 	 t h i n g s 	 f o r e i g n , 	 A R S S 	 i n c r e a s i n g l y 	 e n c o u r a g e s 	 p a r t i c i p a t i o n 	 i n 	 i n t e r s t a t e	
and other European projects. In order to continue our success, we all have to make 
an effort and focus our thoughts, and work on collaboration and strengthening team 
work. Work outside strictly the educational sphere or only within a narrowly delimited 
research area is not enough. Dedication to work and diligence are also proved by 
the brief presentations of our teachers' activities at international congresses and 
conferences.
A footnote: there are fewer collective articles than in the preceding number, which is 
good. Articles reveal collaboration and team work, but articles are usually written by 
one author, another reads it, adding something, and a third one...
Well, you had better read the contributions.
Dr .	Domen	Zupančič