At the end of December 2020, Petrinja and surrounding areas were hit by the most destructive earthquake in Croatia in the last 100 years, which left behind enormous material damage in an already less developed area. Two years later, renovations are still pending. It is time to break the silence - the aftermath of a major disaster.
Among the many buildings damaged in the earthquake, one that deserves much attention is Fran Lhotka Music School in Sisak. The building, originally established to be a synagogue on an important city square, was never designated as a cultural heritage site despite its architectural, urban and ambiental value. Its origin is slowly being forgotten.
Through a modern interpretation, the master's thesis tries to offer a conceptual design for the renovation and expansion of Fran Lhotka Music School. Based on site analysis and research, the master's thesis tries to restore the original architectural values of the existing building, create a new volume with all the spaces needed for a modern music school, and sensibly connect the old and the new into a whole.
By designing an expansion of the school under the square in front of the existing building, the new volume does not compromise the dominance of the former synagogue. The roof, cut into strips so that light passes between them, is walkable and as such creates a square in a new form. Education and culture flow under the new public space, while the former synagogue, now a concert hall, regains its dignity.
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