RENOVATION OF THE CASTLE OUTBUILDING IN ORMOŽ
ARCHEOLOGICAL-ETNOGRAPHIC MUSEUM AND
MUSIC SCHOOL
Prešeren Fund Award
authors | Maruša Zorec, Maša Živec, Žiga Ravnikar
project | 2009-2011
status | built
client | Municipality of Ormož
photo | Miran Kambič, archive Arrea
Grajska pristava (Caste outbuilding) is a part of the castle complex in Ormož, a town which lies in the eastern part of Slovenia, right next to the Croatian border. The castle complex is situated on the edge of a beautiful park, on a flat part of the hill, surrounded by the river Drava. The building consists of linearly related objects, which have emerged in different periods from the 18th century onwards and are surrounding an inner courtyard.
Architectural design is based on the presentation of the historical objects on the ground floor and new added elements, which are made out of a brick and show a clear relation between new and the existing. The building retains the character of the service facility, leaving the primacy to the castle. The renewal of the complex has been made for the purpose of archaeological-ethnographic museum and music school.
The historical spaces on the ground floor are integrated with a lit floor made out of clay clinker aggregate. Only the large vaulted room and the place with two columns in the museum part are paved with the limestone, giving them a softer feeling.
The brick is used as a typical local material for all the new added elements. The wall in front of the museum entry, the new wing of the museum, the first floor of music school and the new addition – the new music hall, are made out of a structured brick facade. The half-transparent structure provides different light effects in the space inside and at the same time leaves the connection between inner and outer space.
With the use of brick we are trying to preserve the local tradition, which started in those places already in prehistoric times. That is also a part of the museum exhibition. We wanted to clearly show the distinction between the old and new and to develop some new possibilities which brick offers as one of the best natural materials.
