K67 Celje – restoration and opening

Co-shaping the city’s identity

On the occasion of the holiday of the city by the Savinja river, the municipality of Celje presents the carefully renovated K67 kiosk as a gift to its citizens. The kiosk is intended to serve as a lively connector and promoter of varied events that will enhance the links between the wider public and local institutions.

Since it was launched back in 1966, the K67 kiosk has represented an urban landmark in various public spaces around the world, addressing people with its different contents and encouraging interactions. This one from Celje was condemned to be destroyed in 2019. However, during its removal from the Celje Railway Station, where it once served as the transport office of the Izletnik public transport company, it was saved from being transported to a landfill by two chance witnesses of the event, Meta Lavrenčič and Gregor Rode. In March 2023, the rescuers generously handed it over to the Municipality of Celje for further use. This occurred soon after Timotej Jevšenak, an architect from Celje, proposed that the municipality should find and renovate one of the cult kiosks and use it as an intermediary in the exchange of wishes, opinions, needs, suggestions, and ideas between residents and local authorities, with the kiosk travelling around the city to facilitate more such interactions.

The kiosk’s subsequent demanding and precise restoration was the result of cooperation among the Municipality of Celje, the School Centre of Celje, the High School for Service Activities and Logistics, the company Zelenice Celje, and Tendence, the local Society for Visual and Spatial Landscape. The mission of the latter, a newly established association, will primarily be to connect and activate citizens, professionals, and the municipality in co-creating the spatial and visual identity of the city.

The renovated K67 is now making a remarkable return to its native Celje, where it began its new journey and mission on Krekov Square in the city centre. This location, however, is only a temporary one, the starting point of a new and exciting journey. With fresh energy and dynamism, the kiosk will attract attention and interest in many locations, and encourage residents to actively participate in co-shaping the city’s identity.

Participants:

Students of the bodywork department of the High School for Service Activities and Logistics in Celje (restoration work)
Timotej Jevšenak (project initiator, management and supervision of the restoration work)
Gerhard Kladnik (head of operational restoration work)

Other participants:
Boštjan Jančič (procurement of materials and spare parts)
Matjaž Drame and Jan Fridl (electrical installations)
Martina Kunčič and Luka Plut, 1-A avtoličarstvo Plut (counseling)
Zelenice Celje (transport)

Investor:
Municipality of Celje

The restoration work was carried out between November 2023 and April 2024.