Sunday, September 18, 2011 at 6:05PM West Gate Office Building
At the western entrance to the city of Ljubljana, Slovenia lies the West Gate Office Building, a pair of office towers designed by Studio Kalamar. The building complements its urban surroundings and emphasizes the openness of the area with wings pointing west. Its southern tower features a protruding corner which points the way to the city and its lower northern wing is designed with respect to the railway traffic behind it. One wing has 14 floors, the other 8. Different wing lengths allow for various floor divisions and office size options. On the eastern sides are vertical cores which allow for the possibility of connection to the future extension of an adjacent building.
A white fixed shading element is attached in four different positions on panels, creating an intriguing facade effect.
Placed around the building are tree formations and hillocks, which create a public space in front of the building secluded from traffic.
A low-temperature heating and cooling system with heat pumps maintains a healthy work environment. Users are kept in contact with their surroundings and face little technological inconvenience in maintaining a good climate. A central control system ensures optimal energy use.