PLEČNIK AWARDS 2025

The awards were presented in the pleasant, relaxed, spring-like atmosphere of the garden at Plečnik House by the chair of the jury, Prof. Ilka Čerpes. The keynote speaker was the Minister of Culture, Dr. Asta Vrečko. Prof. Boštjan Vuga, Chairman of the Board of the Jože Plečnik Fund, also addressed the guests and award recipients at the outset, followed by a substantive address by the chair of this year’s jury, Prof. Ilka Čerpes. The Deputy Mayor of the City of Ljubljana, Rok Žnidaršič, invited all those gathered to the opening of the exhibition “The Magnitude of Architecture – Artifacts” on the first floor of Plečnik House, as well as to a relaxed garden reception and the traditional professional gathering of award recipients, architects, and friends and supporters of architecture.

“The Plečnik Awards are Slovenia’s premier national honors for the highest-quality projects in the fields of architecture, urban planning, landscape architecture, and interior design, completed within the territory of the Republic of Slovenia over the past three calendar years. Since 1973, the presentation of these awards has served both as a continuous re-evaluation of Plečnik’s work and as a means of proactively guiding the development of architectural practices.

The awards are named after the architect Jože Plečnik, whose influence extends not only beyond the geographical borders of Slovenia but also beyond the boundaries of the architectural discipline. His works represent an enhancement of the physical context and, in connection with the existing, create new value in the built environment. Plečnik’s works transcend scale.

Let us therefore dare to think and act on a grand scale, even if on a small scale! Let us dare to establish a new standard! Let us dare to take risks, even if we might make a mistake in the process! Let us dare to doubt! Let us dare to show that through our actions, we are not merely creators of space, but of entire societies! Such boldness should also characterize the Foundation’s future work.”

Boštjan Vuga, from the opening address at the 2025 Plečnik Awards ceremony

The gala event opened with a presentation of the development of last year’s scholarship recipient Neža Brankovič’s award-winning project, which she presented in dialogue with this year’s recipient of the Plečnik Fund scholarship, Elvis Jerkič. The stage then featured a series of guest speakers delivering ceremonial addresses as a prelude and context to the presentation of awards for the most outstanding architectural projects. Once again this year, the awardees and their works were presented in film format—through the documentary Merilo, directed by Matevž Jerman and with cinematography by Rok Kajzer Nagode. The two-evening program of the awards ceremony, exhibitions, and roundtable discussions took place at two venues: in the garden and at Plečnik House, as well as at the DESSA Gallery.

The expert jury, composed of Ilka Čerpes (chair), Saša Begović, Jerneja Fischer Knap, Nika Grabar, and Urška Kranjc awarded one Plečnik Award, four Plečnik Medals, and one student scholarship in five categories this year (for large- and small-scale architectural projects, public space, professional journalism, and the enrichment of spatial culture).