Pause Plaza Arts Center

The Rijeka/Opatija Eco-Village and Community Gardens sit on the abandoned site of Hotel Panorama. The project revitalises the building and renews its programme into a vibrant community centre with permanent and temporary residences, gathering, event and learning spaces, and extensive community gardens.

Most of the existing structures are re-programmed into community-based spaces — a market, library, event space, classrooms, a public restaurant and bar — while a large part of the site stays undeveloped as garden.

Ecosystems and energy

The wooded site has become overgrown since the hotel was abandoned; small-footprint additions keep the disturbance to existing ecosystems minimal. Passive strategies — solar orientation, daylighting, high-performance envelope, cross ventilation and shading — are combined with a dedicated outside-air split system chosen through energy simulation.