Marko Polo Centre is located within 3 medieval buildings in the old town core of Korčula. We preserved authentic stone details of Gothic and Renaissance architecture, such as niches for kitchen elements, fireplace, sink, shelves…
The exhibited themes include details about the Polo family, the Silk Road with objects brought to Europe and the naval Battle of Korčula that occurred in 1298. We paid special attention to the book Devisement du Monde (Italian: Il milione), which is one of the most translated books in which Rustichello records the stories and events of Marco Polo’s journey. The neutral light colours of the floors and walls emphasize the designed furniture made of pine wood, after which Korčula got its name (Corcyra Nigra). The walls with historical details on each floor, depending on the theme, are painted in a different colour representing the Silk Road (green for the forest, ochre for the desert, brown for the land and blue for the sea). In the entrance area, the figure of Marco Polo is depicted using a special stone relief technique. The figure is read from a multitude of irregular lines at a certain viewing angle. Our design of the equipment matched perfectly with the signature chair of the famous French designer Pierre Paulin. During construction, we came to the incredible discovery of an old wall (the oldest noted in Korčula) and a water tank with a barrel vault. The project gave the newly discovered space the new function of a small multimedia hall where expert lectures can be held and a film on the subject of Marco Polo and the Silk Road can be watched.
Credits
Interior
Arhitektonska radionica centar (ARC); Martina Jelić, Petra Ivanišević Brzulja, Anita Brajković
Client
Town of Korčula
Year of completion
2023
Location
Korčula, Croatia
Total area
289 m2
Photos
Mario Zlokić
Project Partners
Ivo Vojnović
