Renovation of Castle Grad by ARREA architecture

History of Castle Grad

Castle Grad is located on the hills of Grad, a hilly region in Slovenia. Although there is not much evidence about when this castle was built, its name started to surface during the thirteenth century. It had many owners in different periods. Formerly named Gornja Lendava, the castle was built during the Renaissance period. The style of the castle falls under Baroque architecture. Considering the number of owners that owned the castle, a gradual difference in the styles all over the castle can be seen. Due to wars and frequent changes of owners, along with Baroque elements, Romanesque design styles can also be seen in the castle. The castle showcases the wealthy owners through the different design elements present. These were left untouched by the renovators. This can now be experienced as it is open to tourists (Castle Grad, 2021).

The castle is evidence of how architecture plays an important role in telling the story of the past. The castle went through many wars and revolutions. Later on, the castle sheltered many Soviet soldiers during wartime but was abandoned soon after. It was in the late 90s when the castle was chosen to be renovated. Renovations continued till 2005, but as the funds were not enough it had to stop. However, architectural firms collaborated to come together to restore the castle structure (Renovation of grad castle, 2021).

The legend behind Castle Grad

According to history, many kings have lived in this legendary castle. Why is it a legendary castle? Well, because there’s a legend saying that there are three hundred and sixty-five rooms following the three hundred and sixty-five days of a year. The structure of the Castle encircles the courtyard with double levels which are surrounded by vaulted corridors. The corridor on the second level connects the existing and renovated areas into one. The castle has areas that are semi-renovated. The spaces within these semi-renovated areas are often used as exhibition spaces open to tourists. 

Some spaces have been renovated but are not actively used. Along with this, a small wedding hall, a salon, small museum spaces, and sleeping facilities are also included. Focusing on nature, the exhibitions are held to bring an insight into the landscape of the castle, since it is part of the Landscape park of Goricko. The chapel was renovated over a year ago and opposite it, is a small space that now serves as an exhibition space that tells the history of the Castle. The chapel however was left untouched with little to no renovation inside. The spaces around it are used for concerts or other events depending on tourists and organizers (Theradicalproject, 2021). 

Renovation by ARREA ARCHITECTS

The renovation of Castle Grad had started ten years before ARREA architects were involved. Different techniques were applied to stabilize the deteriorating structure. ARREA architects took small parts of the castle and renovated piece by piece. They are a well-known firm for the renovation, reconstruction, and restructuring of buildings. Their focus is on strengthening old structures using new techniques. ARREA believes in renovating historic buildings with a touch of modern style. Marusa Zorec, the founder of the firm, has collaborated with many architectural firms to work on several projects. All these projects focus on the renovation and restructuring of buildings that are precious to Slovenia (Arrea architecture). 

The modern touch that the firm gave to the castle was through furniture. The castle itself is a Baroque style dating back to the medieval period. Therefore, the firm thought of renovating the spaces within using today’s furniture. They have successfully renovated four bedrooms that allow tourists to spend the night, these bedrooms embody modern furniture. The renovation of the castle started with a common understanding of not wanting to change the look of it completely but rather just revive the structure. Many architects and their teams worked on the mission to strengthen the structure. One of the exhibits showcases the different firms that have worked on the castle. Open to the public, the exhibition shows the timeline of the castle (Dorottya, 2022).

The renovation used sandstone to strengthen the castle structures and for repair wherever required. For the walls, oak and snow-white-washed colors were used. The complementing colors give the spaces a comfortable and livable atmosphere. The renovations done on the castle is a sustainable method since the approach to renovating does not include any new materials that are harmful to the environment. The restoration was done using materials that were directly applied to the walls like whitewashing. The firm took great interest in restoring the landscape around the castle as part of the renovation. As mentioned before it is part of the Landscape Park of Goricko, thus adding to the sustainable approaches (Dorottya, 2022).

Due to its incomplete renovation, the castle has turned into a story where a visitor can experience the past and present and everything in between! 

References: 

1. Castle Grad – 321 go – three castles: Two countries: One story (2021) 321 Go – Three castles | Two countries | One story. Available at: https://www.321go.si/en/castle-grad/ (Accessed: 14 July 2023). 
2. Dorottya, M. (2022) The revival of Castle Grad: Arrea Architecture, Hype&Hyper. Available at: https://hypeandhyper.com/the-revival-of-castle-grad-arrea-architecture/ (Accessed: 16 July 2023). 
3. Renovation of grad castle (2021) Odprte hiše Slovenije. Available at: https://www.openhouseslovenia.org/objekt/castle-grad/ (Accessed: 12 July 2023). 
4. Theradicalproject (2021) Renovation of castle grad: Slovenia: 2019, THE [RADICAL] PROJECT. Available at: https://www.theradicalproject.com/renovation-of-castle-grad-slovenia-2019/ (Accessed: 14 July 2023). 
5. Arrea architecture (no date) Culture of Slovenia. Available at: https://www.culture.si/en/Arrea_Architecture (Accessed: 16 July 2023). 
6. Grad Castle, Grad, slovenia – spottinghistory (no date) SpottingHistory.com. Available at: https://www.spottinghistory.com/view/6166/grad-castle/ (Accessed: 13 July 2023).

Images reference :

1. Theradicalproject (2021) Renovation of castle grad: Slovenia: 2019, THE [RADICAL] PROJECT. Available at: https://www.theradicalproject.com/renovation-of-castle-grad-slovenia-2019/ (Accessed: 14 July 2023). 
2. Grad Castle, Grad, slovenia – spottinghistory (no date) SpottingHistory.com. Available at: https://www.spottinghistory.com/view/6166/grad-castle/ (Accessed: 13 July 2023).