Ljubljana, 20th May 2020 – Following its completion in March, ALEJA has now thrown open its doors. The center will inject new life into the district of Šiška and offer residents a range of leisure options. Designed by ATP Innsbruck, the mall not only invites people to shop and browse but its second floor is also home to the Activity Roof, a unique sport, experience, and leisure zone, and “ALEJA Sky”, Slovenia’s only real food court with an enclosed roof terrace. Because, as the architect Philipp Pfister of ATP says, with conviction,“retail centers will only have a future if they become part of the city … at ALEJA, we successfully wove highly efficient retail architecture into a beautiful city and used the notion of the urban quarter to create a multifunctional meeting point with a great visitor experience.”
A love of detail
The shimmering stainless steel tiles of the new district center recall a dragon, the heraldic animal of the city. Depending upon the viewpoint of the observer and the angle of the sun the colors of the dragon’s skin change constantly, breathing life into the retail center. This rigorous concept continues inside the center: Selected materials such as natural stone floors and bright timber combine with the high levels of daylight and planting to generate a pleasant atmosphere.
Energy efficiency
ATP paid special attention to the sustainability and viability of the world of experience. The glazing and surface materials were chosen to minimize both the loss of energy to the outside and heat gain on the inside. “The very deliberately defined mix of strongly and less strongly printed and clear solar protection glass enabled us to ensure an extremely energy-efficient level of operation, despite the high proportion of glass in both façade and roof,” said a delighted Philipp Pfister. Water consumption was also reduced through the use of rainwater in the cooling plant and for the irrigation of the green areas on the Activity Roof.
