Dom/Müller Department Store

Ljubljana, Slovenia, 1999

Type
retail

Client
Arcadium, d.o.o.

Address/Site
pedestrian shopping street, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Site area
412 m2

Building area
412 m2

Total floor area
3.277 m2

Storeys
2 basements + groundfloor + 4 storeys + attic

Structure
reinforced concrete walls with central structural grid and core

Cladding
structural glazing, double printed glass

Architect
SADAR+VUGA (Jurij Sadar, Boštjan Vuga, Dean Lah, Gorazd Mihelj)

The Optical Wall of the Dom/Müller department store main façade is a smooth vertical surface. Its optical effect changes with the angle and the distance of viewer’s perception thus attracting his glances.

The optical effect is also subjected to varying sunray exposure. On a cloudy day or on a clear day afternoon the interference between the inner and the outer glazing and the texture of the solar shades defines the image of the façade.

The interference on a blue-white surface mollifies the boundary between the sky reflection and the image of the buildings facing it. The reflections are at its peak on a clear day at noon, bringing about a feeling of dematerialised façade.

In the night time the optical effect is reversed: due to illumination the presence of the wall is mainly felt in the surroundings and through the wall layers we can observe the sales offers inside the department store.