Image by jost derlink

Quick survey: when you are in Ljubljana or planning a visit, what do brochures show you? They probably show you the castle, Plečnik architecture and old town? Well, there’s a wonderful architectural style they almost never talk about. Slovenian architecture after 1945, sometimes called “socialist” architecture. But is that really the right word? Some of our most important architects were influenced by Le Corbusier. Do you ever call his architecture socialist? In reality this architecture is beautiful, without historical kitsch.

This is just one of the pearls, but you can find a lot more, walking on Slovenska Street. You can check the top of the top from 1945 till 1979 on Evidenca.

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Glavna zadružna zveza | Art & culture
Slovenska cesta 41 | Center
24 hours daily

Image by jost derlink

I decided to write about three projects in Ljubljana focused on sustainable development and social enterprises. First one is Cultural – ecological fellowship Smetumet (trash-art). Their goal is to show a new perspective on trash and recycling, showing us that we can be a part of “reduce, reuse, recycle” principle in different ways, not just by throwing trash in separated dumpsters.

The beauty of this project is that we can play with our garbage, using creativity and our imagination. With all that we can transform rubbish into new useful and wonderful things. One of the great missions is focused on old clothes. Why do we need to throw away old stuff, just because something new is cheap? We can redesign old ones and give them our personal touch. With the similar “do it yourself” theory they are encouraging us to make our own toys, cosmetics, food, furniture etc. as a statement of standing up against consuming society.

They have their “cradle” in Šiška, where they have different workshops and where you can buy their products made from collected trash. One of my favorite items is wallet made from baby food (Čokolešnik and Čokolino) packaging. I also like that they are located in Šiška, giving this area new quality programs.

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Smetumet | Art & culture, Shopping | Wallet € 10.00
Celovška 53 | Siska
Mon, Wed & Fri 10:00 – 16:00, Tue & Thu 13:00 – 19:00

Image by jost derlink

As I said in the article Smetumet, I decided to write thematically related articles. In this one I’m going to present you Gostilna dela (the working bistro/ bistro of work). It is one of the results of project Tovarna dela (factory of work) and gives another chance to the young and unemployed without proper education. With this job they get social security and experiences for further job opportunities, so it’s like a job and a learning workshop.

Their daily menu is based on balanced diet with less sugar and fat, full of vitamins, fiber and minerals. Yummy! They have breakfast, snacks and lunch, for which they prepare every day soup, meat or a vegetarian main course, salad and dessert.

The interior is also in spirit of sustainable development! They have reused old furniture. They also received an award for the perspective interior at the Month of design in Ljubljana. So those were the reasons why you must love places like this one, and when you finish your meal in Gostilna dela, just walk a few meters on Poljanska stret, where you’ll find bistro’s cousing – Oblačilnica dela.

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Gostilna dela | Snacks, Restaurants
Poljanska 7 | Center
Mon – Fri 07:00 – 18:00

Image by jost derlink

The last but not least of thematically related articles is Oblačilnica dela (the working dressing-room/ dressing-room of work), located close to Gostilna dela (check out the article). It’s also a part of Tovarna dela – unit for textile. The goal of Tovarna dela – Tekstil is teach about the importance of separate disposal of old clothes and textiles, the establishment of a functional system for collecting old clothes and new “green” jobs for young unemployed and older unemployed women.

In Oblačilnica dela they sell used and redesigned clothes. For the official opening they prepared an event “A date with another dress”. I have always liked to wear used clothes, knowing that before I got it, it already hade a long journey packed with adventures and that gives them great value, immeasurable with money. Knowing that here by getting something you like, you are also helping someone, puts everything on a higher level.

Here you can also buy products from Projekt Človek with the collection ‘Izdelki iz koše’ (products from dumpster) and Kralji ulice.

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Oblačilnica dela | Shopping
Poljanska cesta 11 | Center
Mon – Fri 09:00 – 19:00, Sat 09:00 – 13:00

Image by Union.SLO

If you would take a part of Amsterdam and transform it into a Habsburg city mixing Mediterranean atmosphere, you would get Gallus bank. It has narrow houses like Amsterdam, Baroque architecture like Vienna and a part of feeling you get in Italian cities with the outside cafés.

The bank is located in the centre of Ljubljana, South of the Cobblers Bridge. Here you can relax, buy some gifts for you and your friends in great shops with old vinyl, CDs with ethno, funk, jazzy music, wooden toys etc. There are also some nice places where you can eat, from pancakes to steaks, sit down and order a cappuccino or just buy a beer and go down the stairs to Ljubljanica river.

The whole area is reserved for the pedestrians, except for the most southern part of the bank which is a parking space of the residents. You don’t have to worry to get hit by a car; just be careful if there are any cyclists near you.

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Gallusovo nabrezje | Art & culture, Bars, Shopping
Gallusovo nabrezje | Center
24 hours daily