Home PARTNER STORIES PARTNER FEATURES A brand new hall opens in Cankarjev dom

A brand new hall opens in Cankarjev dom

The new event venue follows the principles of sustainable architecture

Apr 13, 2023

cankarjev_dom_alma — Photo Credit: Cankarjev dom

Cankarjev dom now officially boasts another creative and spacious hall. The inauguration of the new hall took place on Thursday, 13 April, in Cankarjev dom. Named after world traveller and writer Alma Karlin, the hall is situated on the fifth floor. Alma Karlin Hall is an open-spaced venue spreading over 400m2 with horizontal windows providing panoramic views of Ljubljana.

The space is devoted to meetings, debates, lectures, round tables, as well as theatre and music events. A most welcome addition to Slovenia’s main cultural and congress centre, it caters for events requiring daylight and a flexible yet work-productive setup.

The architectural design follows the original ideas of architect Edvard Ravnikar, which stem from the ancient past of the city of Ljubljana. He took inspiration from the tradition of antiquity, pairing it with modernist aspirations to create a democratic public space.

Selecting materials according to the principles of sustainability

The space can be divided into a theatre part and a book club. The book part is intended for meetings, lectures, roundtables, and recitals. The round stage in the theatre part of the space offers performers and visitors an authentic experience of an ancient theatre. A rotating screen that surrounds the stage is ideal for smaller performances.

Saving the planet from 4,200 waste half-litre bottles and 126 kilograms of carbon dioxide

The equipment in the room is thoughtful, functional and minimalistic. Comfortable and movable cubes can become seats, benches or deckchairs. They allow different types of group or individual layouts. Two screens are installed in the room, which enable high-quality visual video performances, and the small terrace opens up possibilities for pleasant gatherings and meetings after events. The wall and ceiling coverings are made of wood fibres, while the flooring contains sixty per cent of recycled raw materials. In addition, all the lights are in LED technology, the audio and multimedia technical equipment is of the highest energy class, and the chairs are made exclusively from recycled materials, which saved the planet from 4,200 waste half-litre bottles and 126 kilograms of carbon dioxide.

Who was Alma Karlin?

Alma M. Karlin was a world traveller, writer, amateur researcher, and polyglot who spoke nine languages and travelled the world between 1919 and 1927. She travelled alone and supported herself with her own work along the way, throwing away the prejudices and limitations attributed to women at the beginning of the twentieth century. The nature of her journey places her among the greatest travellers of all time. She was independent, commanding, and unyielding. The fame and success she dreamed of as a young girl were brought to her by a travelogue trilogy published in Germany in 1929-33. After the German occupation of Celje in the spring of 1941, she was taken to prison and was almost deported to Dachau. She avoided this terrible fate but died in great poverty in 1950 after a serious illness.

“Every person who crosses our path is our teacher, who unknowingly or knowingly shapes our character. In a way, we can compare our soul to a passport in which everyone who has marked our lives in any way has left their visa or stamp. Be it strong or weak, no one fades completely,” said Alma M. Karlin.

Find out more about Cankarjev dom here.

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