Public building

The public building in Mošćenička Draga is located at the edge of the densely built core of the historic fishing settlement and the standalone family apartment houses developed over the past century. Its position at the end of the valley makes it visible in the image of the place from multiple viewpoints.

In addition to healthcare facilities, the building accommodates spaces for cultural associations, including a hall for public gatherings and community activities, as well as a library and reading room. The program results in a volume that exceeds the scale of the immediate surroundings.

The spatial and programmatic context guided the design towards a composition of multiple volumes whose footprint derives from the existing plot shape, combined with urban planning constraints. This approach creates a small public space on the southern side. While it may be too ambitious to call it a square, it provides a setting for presenting activities and performances developed within the hall.

The composition of volumes continues in the vertical articulation, integrating the building into its surroundings. The spaces between the volumes, formed through the interweaving of interior and exterior areas, become a sequence of terraces and covered passages intended for gathering, waiting and informal social interaction, always offering shaded areas.

The combination of two fundamental elements – solid wall and opening – expressed through white façade plaster and transparent and translucent glass, reinterprets the spatial compositions of the local architectural heritage.