Cemetery Ajdovščina

The site is divided with two paths supporting access from the south and the east. The original axial promenade path crosses the existing Chapel.The secondary promenade was designed by architect Anton Bitenc and was created for the military baths at the end of the seventies. Because the cemetery needed to be enlarged, The Municipality of Ajdovscina decided to build a new Cemetery facility and Farewell chapels on the east part of the site.

The new building is designed in a L-shaped structure supporting the historical path axis from the south and allowing access from the east side. The architectural concept manipulates interior and exterior places varying significantly according to the climate and functional conditions. The large porch with narrow roof openings draws the movements of the sun on the wall surfaces. The light and the shadows are manipulated to transform the ambience so that the visitor can follow and perceive the sun’s position. The transience of human life can be comprehended through the constantly changing natural ambient light.

The structure is made of white concrete casted out of visible panels. The facade is manipulated with a composition of prefabricated white terrazzo planes and U-profile glass. The entrances and interior elements are made of solid oak wood. The U-profiled glass openings and the sandblasted glass inside cause the light to be completely scattered and as a result, diffusely dispersed, and no clear outlines occur. The indirect natural light concept, suspended ceiling and soft materials give the homogenous space basilicas character.

The architecture of the building responds to the local climate and weather conditions as well as the building tradition, characterized by white limestone, oak wood and Istrian sandstone. The ambivalence of outer and inner space is not an abstract concept, but a device with the function for diverse condition.