Herman Potocnik (Noordnung), one of the founders of astronautics, spent his childhood in the town of Vitanje. One of his key ideas was the concept of a "living ring" proposed in 1929 for permanent stay in orbit of people. According to the researcher, in a geostationary orbit (that is, being constantly above the same point on the Earth's surface), you can place a satellite - a space station, consisting of a solar power plant, an observatory and a "ring". Its continuous rotation will create artificial gravity inside on the principle of a centrifuge, which will allow people to live there for a long time (weightlessness has a bad effect on human health). Also, such a station could become a starting point for interstellar flights, since the main obstacle to a successful launch from the surface of our planet is gravity.
The building in Vitanje is inspired by the idea of a “residential ring”. It consists of two concrete cylinders: the larger volume located below is inclined in the direction from south to north, and the smaller one inscribed in it - from north to south. At the same time, the main entrance located from the south is a completely glazed surface, and from the north, on the contrary, the building merges with the surface of the earth.
The glass façade can be fully extended, connecting the lobby and the 300-seat auditorium behind it to the square in front of the center. In other cases, the lobby can be separated from the hall by a curtain. There are ramps around the central hall leading up to the exhibition spaces. The small cylinder contains, among other things, an area for the work of astronautical historians. Thus, in the new cultural center, everything is adapted for holding exhibitions, conferences, scientific research and educational programs.
The four Slovenian bureaus that designed the building were initially invited by the investor to participate in a closed competition, but instead the architects decided to work together.
