Layout of the Drava River Area in the City of Maribor

Theme and objectives

The subject of the competition was the preparation of design, design-project architectural, architectural-constructional and spatial-landscape solutions for the three areas described hereafter, which are, directly or indirectly, tied to the Drava River in Maribor. 

The area set aside for development was split into three. Each part/group represented a closed (spatial and architectural-functional) whole: 

• Group 1: Drava River embankment

The goal was to rearrange the banks of the Drava River, enabling citizens and visitors to experience the historical continuity of the city by the river and increasing the cultural and historical value of the space by means of exclusive and original solutions that would protect existing heritage. 

• Group 2: The new footway and bicycle bridge

In this competition group, an architectural design outline had to be prepared for the new footway and bicycle bridge across the 130m wide riverbed of the Drava River. To ensure navigability, the foreseen height clearance of the new bridge was to be 3.5m. The new footway bridge had to be designed as a recognisable, innovative, transparent and neutral construction. 

• Group 3: The new Maribor Art Gallery

In this competition group, an architectural outline and planning solution was requested for the north-western corner of the building between Koroška Street, Pristaniška Street, Ribiška Street and Ob Bregu Street. The architectural outline solution was to encompass the central gallery activities area (8,000 m2), the children’s museum (700 m2), the creative industrial centre (1,200m2), the architectural centre (500 m2), the gallery catering area (650 m2), the open outdoor spaces (1,500 m2) and an underground garage for 500 vehicles.