Plečnik Year brings the second, updated edition of Plečnik’s Architecture in Ljubljana to our bookshelves
Plečnik Year 2022
As part of this year’s celebrations of Plečnik’s Year, last year’s successful inscription of Plečnik’s Ljubljana to the UNESCO World Heritage List, and the extraordinary interest for the first edition, which has since been sold out, we have published the second edition of Plečnik’s Architecture in Ljubljana. The book, authored by Andrej Hrausky, is a co-publishing project of the Museum and Galleries of Ljubljana and the DESSA Gallery. Alongside many sponsors, the book also received the honorary patronage of the Slovenian National Commission for UNESCO.
Presentation of the second, updated edition of the guidebook in the garden of the Plečnik House © MGML Documentation
“The guidebook Plečnik’s Architecture in Ljubljana (MGML, DESSA, 2017) has been sold out. It would be a bit embarrassing that in Plečnik’s year the guidebook for his architecture would go missing. Especially because Plečnik’s Ljubljana received an inscription to the UNESCO World Heritage List. Therefore, I welcomed the initiative by the MGML and Dessa to prepare a reprint, and I took the opportunity to insert many updates,” Andrej Hrausky, the book’s author, explained the reasons for the new edition.
The second, updated edition of Plečnik’s Architecture in Ljubljana brings quite a few additions; besides the refreshed introduction, it includes a handy list of all of Plečnik’s works that have been inscribed to the UNESCO World Heritage List with their clear delineation within the book, while some of the pages have been redesigned and supplemented with new photo material. The author also added three new Plečnik works in the book, “For two of them we only proved his authorship now, while the third was only built recently. Few know that Plečnik erected a statue of King Alexander, made by Nikolaj Pirnat, in the lobby of the University of Ljubljana, then named after the king. We also recently found a letter from the academy's president, who contracted Plečnik to design a commemorative plaque on the building that used to be France Prešeren’s home. While since last year, a replica of Plečnik’s bee house, designed for the garden of Masaryk’s summer residence in Lany near Prague, adorns the slopes of Castle Hill. Alongside the updates and supplements, new comments were also needed regarding all the changes that occurred in the last two years: the new roof above Križanke, we published that the statue in Šlajmerjev Park has been reconstructed, the terrace’s fence on Šance has finally been repaired, and so forth. All of this resulted in a completed second edition, both in Slovene and English,” Hrausky added.
Just as the first, the second and updated edition of the guidebook Plečnik’s Architecture in Ljubljana was also co-published by the Museum and Galleries of Ljubljana (MGML), part of which is the Plečnik House which is the custodian of the extensive Plečnik Collection, and DESSA Gallery, the only Slovenian gallery specialized in architecture. Blaž Peršin, Director of the MGML, highlighted, “The reprint of Plečnik’s Architecture in Ljubljana with all the additions is an answer to the extraordinary interest for Plečnik’s architecture, especially his works in Ljubljana. The first edition has been sold out. Plečnik gifted us with a trademark, which we have to tend to, and presents a reminiscence for our capital. In the jubilee year, the 150th anniversary of his birth, the vivid interest in his work is also a guide for us on how to read Plečnik, which levers of consideration on architecture and living did he leave to us. Plečnik can be very contemporary if we observe him in the correct light, and this book unveils many of his secrets.”
Maja Ivanič, Director of the DESSA Gallery, added, “Despite many options offered by the digital world, a printed book is still the friendliest, most reliable, and permanent source of information. We are happy that interest in Plečnik’s architecture is growing both locally and internationally. What makes us especially happy that we can, with the help of our sponsors, celebrate this year’s 150th anniversary of Plečnik’s birth and last year’s inscription to the UNESCO World Heritage list with the completed reprint of the exceptional book Plečnik’s Architecture in Ljubljana, originally sold out in 2021.”
To the great joy of the co-publishers and the author, the second edition of the book was published under the honorary patronage of the Slovenian National Commission for UNESCO. Prof. Dr. Irena Mlinarič Raščan, President of the Slovenian National Commission for UNESCO, highlighted that “With the 150th anniversary of architect Jože Plečnik’s birth, the Government of Slovenia declared 2022 as the Plečnik Year. The recent inscription of Plečnik’s works in Ljubljana to the UNESCO World Heritage List is a distinct international recognition for the protection and valuation of architectural heritage that is important for all of humanity, while it is also a commitment for even more considerate protection in the future, as well as inclusion in contemporary life.”
The importance of the presentation and bringing Plečnik’s rich heritage in Ljubljana closer to the public in a book form was (again) recognised by numerous supporters and sponsors:
City of Ljubljana, Ministry of Culture, BTC, VO-KA, Triglav Group, Atelje Galerija, Baumit, Grafika Gracer, Grafolit, Lafarge, Arcadia, M Sora, Swiss pearl and RexKralj.
