Previous state
At the end of the Stare Slemene valley in Slovenia, the upper monastery of the twelfth-century Žiče Charterhouse was in a dilapidated state. Before proceeding to its restoration, the architecture studio Medprostor evaluated the ruins to determine how best to preserve the old building.
Aim of the intervention
The chief aim was to maintain the unique relationship between the ruins and one of their intangible aspects, which was enjoyment of a space that was open to the sky. However, it was also necessary to comply with certain technical, programmatic, and conservational requirements.
Description
The project involved reconstruction of the north wall and covering the structure of the church with a semi-mobile folding roof, a technologically advanced structure that is raised and lowered by means of seven simultaneous motors and cables. When it is closed, heritage is protected, and events can be held in the church, regardless of weather. When it is open, it preserves an immaterial aspect of the ruins: a view of the sky.
The church is restored as the main component, re-creating its original dimension, while the floating monolith acts as a symbolic element and meeting point between the ruins and their reconstruction. The movable roof permits connection with the open sky and serves as a memorial to the last two hundred years of the church’s history. Two spiral staircases leading to the upper floors have also been conserved.
Assessment
The main concerns of the technological solution in this renovation are to offer the intense experience of enjoying the monastery and reliving what it had been under an open sky, while also protecting it from what would otherwise have been its inevitable deterioration.
[Last update: 16/07/2025]
