Ekohiša BIC Ljubljana, flirting with the surroundings

Multifunctional school for a nature conservation technician program The Biotechnical Education Center BIC Ljubljana is one of the 10 largest schools in Slovenia. Education is provided in nine secondary and two post-secondary education programs, and students acquire expertise and competences in the veterinary sciences, food and nutrition, biotechnology, nature conservation, and hospitality and tourism. The center has branches in several locations. The educational spaces allow for hands-on experience in real-world learning environments and are open to the public. The new multi-purpose school Ekohiša is one storey, and is on a green lot of BIC's school complex on the edge of the Ljubljana wetlands. The program is intended for nature conservation technicians, and can accept up to 100 students. In nearly 600 m2 of net space, there are four classrooms, a modern technical workshop, and a multi-purpose lobby for visitors. A covered patio for outdoor lessons is connected to the technical classroom. The building is wooden, and almost zero energy. The structure of the building is solid wood, made of Xlam cross-laminated elements. The walls are placed on an AB base plate, and are additionally protected against capillary water rising into the timber structure. The client's desire to achieve adequate energy efficiency and to meet the requirements of the public call for grants from Ecological fund was realised by the designers through the ongoing interactive design of the facade, the selection of doors and windows and the installed heating, cooling and ventilation equipment and systems. The facade's weather device de is connected to a central system for weather monitoring, which is part of the learning process. A covered terrace for outdoor classes is connected to the technical classroom. The layout concept flirts with the surroundings. Marsh meadows, water drainage ditches, tall trees, and bushes . . . these are all characteristics of the landscape. The floor plan opens to tall, dense shrubs on one end, and also on the other toward an old tree park where students will set up a learning ecosystem characteristic to the Ljubljana Marshes. The facade of the building and awning visually map this landscape. Wooden slats with uneven rasters mimic the branches and trunks of nearby shrubs and trees. The boughs’ silhouette reflects in the upstairs part of the façade, while the white façade on the ground floor suggests the mists hanging over the landscape in early morning. The large glass surfaces allow all of this to be seen.