Korpnik Produkcija complete Slovenia’s tallest building
106m-high concrete observation tower topped with angular “crystal” is now the tallest building in Slovenia
Slovenian studio Korpnik Produkcija have completed a concrete observation tower in Rogaška Slatina, topped with an angular glass cafe designed to resemble a crystal. The Kristal Observation Tower, standing at 106m, is now the tallest building in Slovenia.
Designed by Korpnik Produkcija, based in Celje, in collaboration with structural engineers Ponting, the tower serves as a link between the historic 19th-century spa complex of Rogaška Slatina and its modern centre.
Nande Korpnik, founder of Korpnik Produkcija, explains: “The architectural challenge was to hierarchically and respectfully connect the old city structure into a new modern urban whole. This would also logically connect different architectural styles and designs from different time periods, achieving a successful coexistence of neo-historical, modern, and contemporary architecture.”
At the base, a triangular concrete structure with a glazed entrance hosts a visitor centre, shop, and toilets, alongside a lift and fire-escape stair. The lift’s shaft is fully glazed on the tower’s eastern side, offering visitors views towards Zdravilske Park as they ascend.
The cafe and observation level at the top of the tower are encased in a crystalline glazed form, a nod to the region's history of glassmaking. Inside the cafe, a central bar is surrounded by seating, providing panoramic views, and a circular window in the floor offers a view down to the base of the tower.
“The building is designed in a geometrically expressive way, allowing an interesting play of different orientations and views, creating a dynamic appearance. The base and entrance part is directed in one direction, while the glass head of the cafe and panoramic floor turns towards the old city centre formed around the historical park,” says Nande Korpnik.
At the peak of the tower, an open-air terrace with a two-metre-high glass fence offers unobstructed 360-degree views of the surrounding landscape.
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