Tivoli Park is the largest park in Ljubljana and stretches all the way to the city center. In the north-east corner of the park, at the intersection Celovska-Bleiweisova, Stanko Bloudek in 1928 had built the ILIRIJA swimming pool. The enlargement for an Olympic 50-m basin including expansion into a sports and swimming center has been discussed since the 1990s.
In 2000/2001, LORENZATELIERS won an international competition with the fundamental idea of reactivating the LATTERMAN AVENUE as the main access to the TIVOLI which was cut off by the new railways in the thirties. The original concept raised the green field in the corner and placing the sports facilities in the resulting space: 50-meter pool with sliding roof, sports rooms, fitness center, gastronomy, congress facilities, dormitories, shopping and underground car park for 1,500 cars.
In 2009, the old swimming pool was placed under monument protection. Following the positive political decision in 2018 in early 2019 LORENZATELIERS revised the existing plans according to the new land use plans of the cities authorities. Under one unique large, curved roof all the remaining, reduced functions will take place. The mayor ZORAN JANKOVIC was excited and pleaded for “the best pool in Europe”.
The new SPORTS CITY ILIRIJA brings together various complementary functions: The historic BLOUDEK-building serves as a modern reception hall including a café with a small museum, meeting rooms which makes the history of the place visible, an indoor swimming pool with competition pool, warm-up poo, children pool and grandstands for approx. 1,500 spectators, plus a sauna and several gyms for school, leisure and competitive sports.
In all these years since the competition the main concept was preserved: it is the crucial architectural contribution for LJUBLJANA’s urbanity: “ILIRIJA JOINT” which connects the city to the Tivoli via a public covered Piazza which offers all possibilities for all kind of events, meetings and communication.
