Passenger Center Celje

In designing the new passenger center, we pursued two goals. The first was to create a modern, clear, functional, and safe transport hub in Celje, designed on a human scale and user-friendly. The second goal was to create a new, high-quality public space that establishes new connections with the city—both spatially and programmatically. The new bus station with its outdoor facilities is therefore not merely an infrastructural object but a reinterpreted, contemporary urban agora—a space whose form has historically invited users to meet, discuss, and participate in public life.

In urban and architectural design, we started from the context of the location. On the western side of the station lies the old town core, which includes the heritage-protected railway station at the northern edge of the plot. To the east, a vista opens up to the wooded hills and Celje Castle. The station stands alongside an important city artery—the XIV Division Street. Its façade and overall appearance significantly shape the experience of entering the city, thus creating a new character for the city. With the aim of minimizing built-up areas and designing space on a human scale, the entire parking garage is located in a single underground level. Due to the reduced surface development, XIV Division Street retains the character of a pleasant, green, and sunlit avenue. The new above-ground structure consists of two elongated, lightweight technical canopies at two heights. Together with the existing railway station, the canopies form a coherent urban and architectural composition. Between the buildings, a new green square is created, connecting the railway station, the bus station, and the service areas, while opening up towards the city.