The master’s thesis entitled Conceptual Design of the New Cultural Axis in Litija and the Renovation of Ukmar’s Villa explores the possibilities of architectural revitalization of the town of Litija through the creation of a cultural spatial framework. Although Litija possesses several important cultural landmarks – the town museum, the cultural centre, and Ukmar’s Villa – it currently lacks a clearly defined cultural infrastructure. These buildings are spatially and functionally disconnected, which limits their potential for collaboration and reduces their impact on the town’s urban life.
The project proposes the establishment of a new cultural axis that, through a new footbridge across the River Sava, creates a physical, functional, and symbolic connection among the town’s key cultural elements. Within this system, Ukmar’s Villa assumes a central role – both as a valuable historical building and as a space for new cultural uses. The proposed renovation respects the villa’s architectural heritage while adapting it to the needs of contemporary cultural programmes. Litija’s cultural programme is currently dispersed and infrastructurally limited. Ukmar’s Villa, as an important piece of built heritage, offers an ideal opportunity for revitalizing the town’s cultural life. By integrating the villa into a new cultural axis – where the footbridge serves as a key connecting element – Litija can establish a new identity as a town of culture along the Sava River. The proposed intervention reorganizes the programmatic scheme of Ukmar’s Villa on several levels, establishing both physical and conceptual links with the town centre. On one hand, it improves access to the existing cultural programmes within the villa, while on the other, it introduces a new public space in the basement area – a covered marketplace, currently located in an unsuitable part of the town. The design aims to bring the town closer to the villa and the villa closer to the town, creating a dialogue between the public realm and cultural heritage.
The thesis demonstrates that through a sensitive architectural approach, it is possible to establish a cultural infrastructure for a small town that transcends the functional boundaries of individual buildings and creates a new spatial identity. In this way, the cultural axis becomes a generator of urban transformation and a foundation for the sustainable development of Litija’s cultural landscape.
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