The Children’s House is a building dedicated to children inside the new Culture Block in Rijeka, Croatia. The construction is part of an urban requalification of a former industrial complex under the European Capital of Culture 2020 project. The new complex houses various cultural institutions: the City Museum, the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, the City Library, and the Children’s House. Centrally located, the building is conceived as an entrance to these institutions, and as a symbolic entrance to the world of culture for children up to the age of 12. Additionally, the building is used by the neighbouring institutions, including the Art Cinema and the Puppet Theatre, for both performances and educational activities. Children are not just spectators within the building, but are also performers and producers. The building is organized as a box inserted within the original brick walls. The existing walls are reinforced with concrete, and the new concrete box is supported by steel beams and existing cast iron columns. Space between the two walls is used for staircases, which encircle the box in a clockwise direction. Individual rooms are accessed from this architectural promenade, giving each room its own feel and use.
Credits
Architecture
Randić i suradnici d.o.o.; Author: Saša Randić, Team members: Zorana Šimunović, Iva Vucković, Helena Dimitrišin Tomasić, Daša Manojlović, Olivija Horvatić, Tapestry and Coloring: Sanja Ipšić Randić
Client
City of Rijeka
Year of completion
2021
Location
Rijeka, Croatia
Total area
2.717 m2
Photos
Marko Mihaljević, Jure Živković
Stage 180°
Project Partners
Construction project: Petar Mrak, Saša Mitrović; Electrical installation project: Ljubiša Žukina, Anton Vuleta; HVAC: Andrija Čuljak; Water supply and sewerage project: Vojka Gojanović; Signaling design: Roberta Bratović, Nina Bačun; In construction: Main contractor: ING GRAD d.o.o., Zagreb; Chief engineer of the construction site: Branko Grubeša; Site engineers: Dominik Horvat and Borna Vecenaj; Subcontractor: BRAVAR-MONT d.o.o.; Construction site engineer: Marko Mateković; Conservation supervision:; Lilian Stošić, Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia – Conservation; Department in Rijeka; Professional supervision: Chief supervising engineer and supervising engineer for construction and constructioncraft works: Zrinka Brkić, Zem nadzor d.o.o., Zagreb; Supervision of the execution of water supply and drainage works; Maja Prnjak, Zem nadzor, d.o.o., Zagreb; Supervision of electrical works: Ante Balajić, ZIV-TICA, Zagreb; Supervision of mechanical works: Igor Šundov, Nila InfraRed d.o.o., Zagreb, Equipment:; Audio Video Consulting d.o.o., Zagreb — multimedia equipment; Primat Logistika d.o.o., Hrvatski Leskovac, furniture; Viva info d.o.o., Zagreb, RFID system for automating library operations; Span d.d. and Combis d.o.o., Zagreb, computer equipment; Fusio d.o.o., Poreč, catering equipment; Actual IT d.d., Kopar, Slovenia, telephone network equipment
