Fuksas Wins Competition For Slovenia Swirling Capo Grande Tower

Architecture, Competitions

Italian architects Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas have won a competition for designing Capo Grande, a new symbol for Slovenia. With its snake-like spiraling form, the structure is designed to create a new landmark for the port city. Located in the Slovenian city of Koper in southwestern Slovenia, the site lies on the country’s Adriatic coastline.Reaching a height of 364 feet (111 meters), the new Capo Grande structure links the coastline to the mountains of Koper. The Capo Grande platform will lead to a 100-meter long bridge with exposed structure. Overcoming the height difference, this bridge links together the platform on the upper level and the tower on the lower level. The Italian firm has partnered with Slovenian architect Sandi Pirš for this project.

Courtesy of Archivio Fuksas

The Capo Grande bridge solves the site’s problem as the steep cliff isolated the sea from the hill at the top. Now people from Guisterna can easily access Monte San Marco.Titled as the “Tower of Peace”, the design will act as a social hub and incorporate many recreational activities with fun climbing walls, slides, and bungee-jumping areas. The Capo Grande complex will include a selection of restaurants and bars as well as a children’s play-zone at the base of the soaring tower.Featuring a form with double ellipses, the design of Capo Grande brings together the two co-existing cultures in the coastline, Slovenian and Italian. The new structure will not only connect the upper and lower levels of the coastline but also act as a new tourist destination.

An official statement from Fuksas says, “As a whole, this project will re-qualify the entire surrounding area and contribute in making the city as effervescent as the neighboring city of Trieste.”