Fotografija: Sandi Fišer

 

Boštjan Vuga, kurator nagrade:

˝Fabianijeva Ljubljana, Plečnikova Ljubljana, Ravnikarjeva Ljubljana. Koželjeva Ljubljana? Da, vendar z eno pomembno razliko: Koželjeva Ljubljana zgodnjega 21. stoletja ni Ljubljana ene roke, enega arhitekta kot demiurga, temveč je rezultat vizije prof. Janez Koželja kot mestnega arhitekta in urbanista ter podžupana mesta Ljubljane, da je mesto živi organizem, čigar spreminjanje, presnavljanje in razvoj je delo več rok, več glav, več pristopov, ki omogočajo in stimulirajo pestrost v urbanem prostoru mesta. Janez Koželj s svojim znanjem in delovanjem stimulira in balansira različne urbane intervencije v mestu, take, katerih si še pred dobrim desetletjem ne bi mogli niti zamisliti. Koželjeva Ljubljana postaja kozmopolitsko mesto, kjer je pestrost in različnost urbanih impulzov vodilo. In ker je Janez Koželj tudi arhitekt v praksi, ve, kaj pomeni graditi. Zaradi tega Koželjeva vizija Ljubljane postane projekt in ta projekt se v komunikaciji in sodelovanju z uporabniki, politiki, razvijalci, projektanti tudi realizira v dejansko izvedeno. Zanima me, kam ta vizija vodi, kakšen je naslednji kvalitativen preskok, kaj bo naredilo to mesto še bolj privlačno za življenje v njem. Prepričan sem, da ima Janez Koželj tudi že oblikovano sliko Ljubljane v bližnji prihodnosti. Zaradi tega ga predlagam za arhitekturnega vizionarja 2019.˝

 

Janez Koželj

Arhitekt Janez Koželj je bil rojen 1945 v Ljubljani. Od leta 1973 do 2017 je deloval na fakulteti za arhitekturo v Ljubljani in bil od 1974 do 1994 glavni in odgovorni urednik mednarodne revije za teorijo arhitekture AB, arhitekturni bilten. Med leti 1980 in 1985 je sodeloval v Skupini Kras in v Studiu znak. V svojem raziskovalnem delu je proučeval operativne metode v načrtovanju sodobnega mesta, ki se opirajo strukturni pristop. Od leta 1982 je na Fakulteti za arhitekturo Univerze v Ljubljani je poučeval predmet Urbanistično oblikovanje in postavil temelj za uveljavitev samostojne oblikovalske discipline urbanizma. V okviru mednarodnega raziskovalnega projekta WINDS – evropske virtualne fakultete za arhitekturo, gradbeništvo in okolje, je leta 2003 s sodelavci razvil poučevanje urbanističnega oblikovanja na spletu. Leta 2006 je bil izvoljen za svetnika MOL in postavljen za podžupana s funkcijo mestnega arhitekta. V zadnjem obdobju si s številnimi projekti prizadeva za razvoj trajnostne gradnje iz lesenih konstrukcij.
Svoje razprave je objavil v knjigah in v številnih znanstvenih člankih ter jih predstavil na mednarodnih simpozijih in konferencah. Pri svojem strokovnem delu preverja teoretska dognanja v študijah strukturnih zasnov mest in prestrukturiranja degradiranih mestnih območij z urbanističnimi in arhitekturnimi projekti. Njegova izvedena dela so bila večkrat predstavljena v domačih in tujih revijah za arhitekturo ter na mnogih razstavah slovenske sodobne arhitekture v Evropi in Ameriki.
Od njegovih knjižnih del velja omeniti : „Iz arhitekture, Tipologija mestne stanovanjske arhitekture in njena vzajemnost z morfologijo mestnega prostora“1987, arhitekturne vodnike “Plečnikova Ljubljana”, “Plečnikova Slovenija” in “Plečnik v tujini” 1998 (soavtorja A. Hrausky, D. Prelovšek), “DUO, degradirana urbana območja” 1997, “Arhitektura Ljubljane” 2002 (soavtor A.Hrausky) in monografiji “Plečnik, Dunaj, Praga, Ljubljana” 2006 (soavtorja A. Hrausky, D. Prelovšek), »Maks Fabiani, Dunaj, Ljubljana, Trst« 2010 (soavtorja A. Hrausky, Miran Kambič).
Med njegovimi zgrajenimi projekti so najbolj pomembna: poslovno stanovanjska hiša na Poljanski cesti v Ljubljani 1988, telovadna dvorana Poljane v Ljubljani 1991, stanovanjska hiša v stavbnem otoku Novi Tabor v Ljubljani 1991, skupina stanovanjskih hiš v stanovanjskem naselju “Schieszstaette”v Gradcu, Avstrija 1998, zabaviščno trgovski center Portoval v Novem mestu (soavtor Jože Jaki) 2003 in viadukt Črni Kal na avtocesti Klanec-Srmin (soavtor M. Pipenbaher) 2004.
Za svoja dela je prejel: Plečnikovo nagrado 1988, priznanje G.B.Piranesi 1992, nagrado revije DETAIL za najboljšo arhitekturo v vzhodni Evropi 2005 in priznanje Zlati svinčnik ZAPS za opus 2005.

 

 

Pogovor z Janezom Koželjem:

To begin with, how would you describe yourself and how do your friends see you?

I am a very curious and restless person, prepared to handle any task. I accept every challenge while constantly pushing myself to my physical and mental limits and I tend not to expose my weaknesses. I want to be an attentive and reliable colleague. My friends see me as a fighter who never gives up.

Where did you grow up, what was it like?

My sister and I were orphaned. We grew up with old parents in modest circumstances. The only option for our development was to be successful in school.

What were you like as a student in school?

I was a great student and one of the leaders of the student movement at that time. I undertook every assignment seriously – as if it had been a real project.

 

Hiša Poljanska, 1988, Ljubljana, Janez Koželj

 

How do you perceive the work of a pedagogue and what is a characteristic of yours that you would most likely want to teach others?
The main task of a teacher is motivating students and teaching them values. To strive for perfection in every assignment is the most important virtue. Then they can learn how to use methods and techniques to create great achievements.

If you could get rid of one weakness of yours, what would it be?

I would like to get rid of my indecision when I am confronted with a conflict situation.

 

Hiša Poljanska, 1988, Ljubljana, Janez Koželj

 

What is the first thing you do when you wake up? And what is the last thing you do when you go to sleep?

When I wake up I first check the weather, then I turn on the computer and I turn it off before I go to bed. 

Are you resentful? Do you hold grudges against anyone? Do you forgive if you do not get the apologies? How difficult do you find it to apologize?

By nature I am understanding. I try to explain to myself every insult, even though I hardly forget the wrongdoings. But I am not revengeful. If I accidentally hurt someone, I immediately apologize.

 

Hiša v stavbi Novi Tabor, Ljubljana, 1991; Janez Koželj

 

What small things make you happy?

I am always happy with a sunny and windy day. Seven hours of sleep and an apple for breakfast, jump into the water and arrive at the mountain peak.

Which of your possessions you could not live without?

I could not function without a pen and without a bicycle.

 


Viadukt Črni Kal na odseku avtoceste Klanec-Srmin, 2004, Janez Koželj, co-author M. Pipenbacher

 

Have you ever experienced something you could not explain?

Never, because I believe that coincidences represent a part of a parallel system.

What do you think that stops people from understanding themselves?

These are self-love and pride. Most often, in combination with the fear of reconciliation.

 


Spominska kapela v Kočevskem Rogu, 2004, Janez Koželj, Martina Tomšič, Polona Filipič

 

When you order food in a restaurant – do you stick to the food you already are familiar with or do you prefer experimenting with new things?

Both, depending on whether I know the restaurant and what they have on the menu.

Are you usually punctual or late?

I am constantly under time pressure. Nevertheless, I come to the meetings on time, rarely missing a few minutes.

 


Zabaviščno nakupovalni center Portoval, Novo mesto, 2003; Janez Koželj, Jože Jaka

 

Who has impressed you most with what they have accomplished?

The zen gardens of Kyoto.

What is something you have been meaning to try, but just have not gotten around to it?

Flying a Cessna plane myself.

 


Blok F3 v soseski Zeleni gaj, Brdo, Ljubljana, 2017; Janez Koželj, Aleš Vodopivec, Jurij Kobe, Tadej Glažar

 

Who do you first show your ideas to? Who is your best critic, the person you trust, value their opinion the most?

I prefer to develop ideas alone, therefore I am the best selector of my own ideas. I always think in variants and compare them until I come up with the right solution. The final idea is never the first one that came to my mind. When making a selection, the most important is my determination to overcome the known solutions and to free myself from the already experienced forms. I believe that every project is unique.

 

 


Brv Glinščica, 2012;  3biro; fotografija: Miran Kambič

 

How do you keep on the track with the progress of computer technology in architecture?

At the Faculty of Architecture I teach with the support of my assistant who is a specialist for urban informatics, the evidence based programming of cities. We strongly believe that the alternative to the traditional static planning methods is a more flexible approach, based on parametric modelling.

What is the most interesting place you have ever visited?

It is the matter of perception and feelings. Wherever I travel I found interesting places. For example, a snowmobile tour from Rovaniemi through the Lapland while on one of the student excursions.

 


Družinska hiša v Čirulah, 2010; 3biro: Janez Koželj, Tina Rupar Kobe, Blaž Rupar, Jernej Šipoš; fotografija: Miran Kambič

 

What was the craziest thing you have ever done?

In the eighties I ventured to enter South Korea without a visa in order to set up the first exhibition of Yugoslavian design in Seoul. That project contributed to the decision of the Korean authorities to export goods to Europe via the port of Koper.

 


Zdravstveni center Gorenja vas, 2015; Janez Koželj, Blaž Rupar, Tina Rupar Kobe; fotografija: Miran Kambič

 

Is there anything you wish would never change?

Having the opportunity to change anything for the better.

 

 

BIG SEE ARCHITECTURAL VISIONARIES 2019

The Award is granted by Zavod Big to those individuals who enrich and inspire the world of creativity, tend to move forward by pushing the architecture and design boundaries, and help to encourage the creative environment in the region of South-Eastern Europe. Their activities represent a significant contribution to the role of architecture and design in the region, and due to their efforts the South-East European architecture and design has been put on the map of the greatest architecture and design achievements. We are all overwhelmed with emotion and deeply touched by these visionary leaders’ creative work which ignites our passions and steers us in the right direction to bring out the best in us.

 

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Pogovarjala sem se: Danaja Jovandič